The new application process for clubs has unified policy at North and South to give more students a chance to create sustainable, unique clubs, Dr. Mark Maranto, Assistant Principal of Student Activities, said.

The new club process has created a district-wide application that includes finding an adult sponsor, gathering 20 student interest signatures, and a questionnaire on South’s website, now covering questions from both high school’s former applications, Maranto said. The application review meeting took place on Nov. 1., where a board of randomly selected students reviewed 15 clubs that applied for the second semester of the 2025-26 school year.

“With 3,000 students, there is opportunity for everyone to find their spaces in a community of like-minded people,” Maranto said. ”

Junior Jeremy Fuller, Co-Leader of Turning Point USA, is looking to create the club as a safe space for political discussion and expression. While the board for Turning Point USA was initially concerned about the club’s political controversy, they hope to build a space that fosters expression and passion among students at South, Fuller said.

“Creating clubs like Turning Point USA starts with what you are passionate about and trying to bring other people together,” Fuller said.

The application process to create new clubs, while difficult, helps students form meaningful activities at South, Fuller said. The process also helps students to understand the importance of perspective and presentation when creating the club, and how the community at South plays a part in club creation, he said.

“New clubs can benefit South because not every club here aligns with people’s own interests,” Fuller said. “Being able to start more clubs with different interests allows people to have an activity or find something they love to do.”

Sophomore Maryum Ahmed is looking to create a club centered on shared future goals. Ahmed’s future club, Women in Medicine, helps those interested in entering the medical field by fostering a community of like-minded individuals under a common interest, Ahmed said.

“I am passionate about medicine, so helping connect people with interest in medicine is really important to me,” Ahmed said.

Applying for the club forced Ahmed to work through logistics, planning, and creating an idea for her club through the review process and application, Ahmed said. Ahmed hopes to create a more tight-knit community at South through Women in Medicine and to help represent student voices from underrepresented groups of interest, Ahmed said.

Sophomore Rikki Zappoli used the new club opportunity to help impact South’s environment and create a more positive community through her club idea. Zappoli, along with two other students, applied to create KIND Club (Keep It Nice Daily), a service club focused on simple acts of kindness and spreading positivity, Zappoli said. Once Zappoli heard from her counselor that the applications had been reopened, she hoped that her idea could come to life and have an impact on South.

“I hope that new clubs spark everyone’s interests and everyone around the school feels like they can join a club because it correlates with what they like to do,” Zappoli said.