As a result of the rigorous academic curriculum, the importance of school based extracurricular activities that add to the community are unparalleled at any other school in Charleston Country. One of the first community events that incoming freshmen of Academic Magnet experience is the Club Fair.
One of the main pillars of the Academic Magnet Community is the numerous clubs the school has to offer. As long as students have a teacher leader, they can create almost any club they would like. In honor of the new 2023-2024 school year, I am recognizing some of the coolest new school clubs that you may not know a lot about (or the club leaders that actually emailed me back), PART 2!
Introducing AMHS DAYLO Banned Book Club:
The first club I am recognizing is the Academic Magnet DAYLO Banned Book Club! The club’s faculty advisor is Ms. Bortz and the Student Leader is Kate Selvitelli. They are planning to meet every other Wednesday (A Day) during lunch. The DAYLO Banned Book Club’s purpose is to raise awareness of numerous books that are banned as the school board attempts to take away educational opportunities from students each year. The club desires to be active in our community as they plan on going to school board meetings to discuss the issue of banning certain books with the board members in an attempt to persuade them to stop banning these books. The DAYLO Banned Book Club are also planning on having a teddy bear picnic, reading to underprivileged kids allowing them to read such banned books. Students should join Kate’s club because they will gain public speaking experience, have the opportunity to be active in our community, and have the opportunity to help people who are unable to access said information anymore.
Follow the Academic Magnet DAYLO Banned Book Club on Instagram @DAYLO_Charleston
If you are interested in joining this club, contact Kate through email at selkat7068@ccsdschools.com
Introducing AMHS Language Lift:
The second club I am recognizing is the Academic Magnet Language Lift Club! The club’s faculty advisor is the lovely Dr. Altman and the Student Leaders are Mia Wang and Helin Bilgis. The goal of the club is to provide free and accessible English as a second language lessons to non-English speakers. The Language Lift club is active in the Charleston community, as they share resources with non-English speaking individuals and cultural organizations. Students should join the club because those who volunteer as tutors or lesson-planners are able to gain volunteer hours and a valuable extracurricular, while also helping out the community.
Follow the Language Lift Charleston Chapter on Instagram @languageliftch, languagelift.org
If you are interested in joining this club contact Helin through email at bilhel7844@ccsdschools.com
Connor Sawall desperately desired for me to include his club in my cool club spotlight despite the fact that his club has been around for many years at Academic Magnet (I will allow it because it is under new ownership).
Introducing AMHS College Football Club:
The third club I am recognizing is the Academic Magnet College Football Club! The club’s faculty advisors are Mr. Percy and Dr.. Zerbst and the Student Leaders are Connor Sawall and Harrison Crites. The College Football Club is a legacy club here at Academic Magnet and the club’s main goal is to carry on the legacy that AMHS LEGEND Vishwa Veeraswamy (Connor Sawall’s words) has passed on to Connor Sawall and Harrison Crites. The club has been a favorite amongst the male athletes at Academic Magnet, providing a fun space for hot takes, arguments, and discussions regarding college football and Fantasy Football. They will be meeting next Tuesday in the lecture hall at lunch.
Follow the Academic Magnet College Football Club on Instagram @amhscfbclub2024
If you are interested in joining this club, contact Connor through email at sawcon8600@ccsdschools.com or join the club’s Remind by texting @amhscfb to 81010.
Introducing AMHS Spectrum Club:
The final club I am recognizing is the Academic Magnet Spectrum Club (which is the longstanding name for our school’s GSA, or gender and sexuality alliance)! Just so all readers are aware, this club has been around for a very long time, but last year due to a large number of complications, both with management and related to legislation being passed recently in other Southern States (Florida) the last year’s leaders decided to keep it from being an official club. However, they are officially bringing the club back this year.
The club’s faculty advisor is Mr. Garris and the Student Leaders are Sunny Holstead, Lizzie Matthews, and Lillian Osbon. The Spectrum club exists to promote a safe space for LGBTQ+ students at magnet to connect with others like them, as well as encouraging small acts of activism within those willing in our population of members. The goal of the club is to create a place where everyone can be comfortable in their gender and sexuality, and to provide a space to organize advocacy for fair treatment and discussion of LGBTQ+ students and topics. They hold meetings during lunch on Thursdays, and are seeking to build plans for how to make LGBTQ+ students feel more integrated into the magnet populace and community. At this moment the club is working on obtaining faculty bathroom passes for students who prefer not to use the gendered bathrooms, announcements with fun facts for important dates in LGBTQ+ history, and promoting allyship despite restrictions.
The Spectrum club is open to all who would like to involve themselves within a community of LGBTQ+ students or seek to learn more about the unique challenges and aspects of lives they encounter, or people who would like to make changes for the betterment of the community, however small they may seem. They are currently facing a difficult time for LGBTQ+ students, particularly in the south, and any advocacy or display of allyship is important and makes a difference.
Follow the AMHS Spectrum Club on Instagram @amhsspectrum.
If you are interested in joining this club contact Sunny through email at holsun8606@ccsdschools.com
