In a student sample of 35 people, all 35 of the students reported that they felt there was a need for a place that information can be stored for them to see. 

             One of the seemingly pressing issues is students not realizing which clubs are offered at Plainfield South. There are countless clubs at South, each offering students the chance to explore new ideas, conversations, cultures, and experiences they may not be aware they would enjoy. The same 35 students reported that they felt a club fair would be a great opportunity to benefit the school.

            Clubs are typically advertised on the announcements and fliers are posted around the school, but many students remain unaware of most clubs and event details, except for those with large participation.

            To fix this, there is a seemingly big solution: a club fair. A fair offers a great opportunity to showcase clubs, increase the turnout in the number of club attendees, and provides an opportunity for members to illustrate what they bring to South and to the student body.

            The first and major point of this fair proposal is to host it at a time when students will be available to participate. Clubs need to advertise for not just the incoming students, but more importantly the current ones here. The fair will be open to all freshmen through seniors, and it will advertise just extracurricular clubs, not sports. 

            This event will differ from Exploration Night, which takes place second semester on a weeknight usually around 6 p.m. or after and is aimed primarily for incoming freshmen to learn what activities are offered at South overall. This new proposal would be a club fair for all members of high school, and it would start around three or four p.m. This could allow students to hang around right after school and go straight to the club fair.  To accommodate all clubs comfortably without overcrowding, the event could be held in a spacious area like the gym or fieldhouse. 

            Fairness has to be accounted for when it comes to this process. Newer clubs, and clubs with fewer members, should be set up in the front, so they have a better chance at increasing the amount of student interactions and turnout for the future of their club. The bigger clubs should be set up in the back, but still at a place where they are visible for attendees to see. A club like the literary magazine club would be placed in the front, while student council would be placed in the back. Each club should receive a table, which they can choose what to place there. 

            Jeff Jarot, the sponsor of the literary magazine club, believes that this could be a good idea. His club is new this year, and had a turnout of seven students at the first meeting. This means the fairness aspect would impact the Literary Magazine club by ensuring they are allowed to set up their table in a prominent location at the club fair.

            “That sounds great. It would be great to have smaller clubs up front,” said Jarot. 

             This prototype takes on the model of exploration night, and something you would see at a college fair, and combines it. Clubs could bring fliers, information, pictures, and items that showcase what exactly their club does. They may also want to include interactive games or galleries for interested students.

             It is clear that this will not roll out as smoothly as it is said, as there are many logistical pieces to be accounted for, such as  student and teacher availability. Athletes and coaches who participate in clubs during other times of the school year may also not be able to attend. Therefore, there should be a smaller version of this during lunch and study hall where students can see the fliers the clubs produce. 

             Leader of the crochet club, Danielle Minjarez, also agreed with this idea. She thinks it would be great for kids without a ride to be able to enjoy a fun, interactive time that opens up a pathway of clubs and interests to them.

            “It’s stressful to join a club. Some kids don’t want to join them, so this would be a good opportunity for kids to attend a fair and see it can be a good time. Clubs are needed, and many such as the Muslim associations that have culture are important for students to attend. The problem is that people don’t know about it. This fair would be so helpful for clubs in danger of shutting down because nobody knows they exist,” Minjarez said.

           Students participating in these clubs will not only gain personal benefits but will also contribute significantly to the clubs and the broader school community. These clubs can gain exposure and awareness of the clubs themselves, preventing them from having to not have as many meetings, or even shut down as a whole.