Convent of the Sacred Heart Upper School student council representatives and faculty members revamped the school’s club policies in order to enhance the role of clubs as an integral component of student life.
“[Clubs] give a voice to the diverse and numerous passions and interests of the Upper School student body, and give students the unique opportunity to pursue interests unrelated to academics,” student body Vice President and senior Helen Rail said. 
In order to create a club, students must follow a step-by-step process. First, the student must write a proposal stating the club’s goals, its connection to the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, and its benefit to the school community. Then, the club needs approval from Head of the Upper School Mrs. Jayne Collins, Dean of Students Ms. Karen Panerella, and the Upper School Assistant Dean of Students Ms. Maura O’Grady.
Club Heads introduce and promote their clubs at the club fair in the Upper School Core Center. Through posters and Powerpoint slides, each Club Head hopes to attract ten members from grades nine through 12.
According to Ms. O’Grady, clubs raise awareness of a wide variety of issues within the school community. The focus of clubs includes community service, social justice, admissions tour giving, and writing for publications. 
As part of new club procedures, faculty members will complete progress checks throughout the year in order to ensure future club success.

In an effort to help clubs leave a lasting impact in the Sacred Heart community, another new club policy regulates attendance at club meetings. As a result, an emphasis on student leadership and participation will encourage increased dedication to a variety of different issues.
Junior Kaitlin Reilly plans to incorporate the new policies into her club, The Dolphin Project. Her club will raise money for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, an organization focused on putting an end to dolphin exploitation, according to dolphinproject.net.
“I have been working with the organization for four years, and I wanted to raise awareness of the harsh treatment that takes place in aquariums,” Kaitlin said.
This year, she plans to take action for this unnoticed cause, and hopes that the new attendance procedures will galvanize club members who are involved and committed.
“If we have full club attendance, which will be enforced through the new policies, we can definitely achieve our club goal of raising at least $500,” Kaitlin said.
The student council hopes that the new policies will give positive enforcement to Sacred Heart’s clubs and inspire them to achieve their goals.
“Each of the clubs this year has committed Club Heads, and these policies will only strengthen and help them to make their clubs as successful as possible,” Helen said.
-Maggy Wolanske, Staff Writer