Freshmen. Love them or hate them, the children are our future. But what kind of future do our school clubs have when the freshmen aren’t involved? There has been a noticeable shift in after school involvement. According to some, freshmen are least likely to show up to clubs and activities. In my own clubs, I definitely see a decline. 

So I talked to club advisors, students and staff to get a consensus. Are freshmen active in the school community? Why are we not seeing the class of 2028 show up? How can clubs attract new students?

In a conversation with Mrs. Moore, of Debate Team fame, I got a more nuanced perspective. Year after year, freshmen overcommit to after school activities to discover what our school has to offer. But with this boom in membership comes a bust. By midyear, sports have begun, the musical is in the works, and suddenly there is less time to be in Paws for a Cause or French Club or Tabletop RPG. 

There is definitely a club hierarchy as more prestigious groups such as Key Club or Students for 60,000 tend to maintain a strong membership year-round even with a winter decline. But for smaller clubs, this dropoff in interest (especially among younger students) can lead to a lack of fundraising opportunities and the end of school traditions. 

Whether because of the freshmen or because of other factors, clubs are seeing less membership. So what can clubs do to become more popular? 

I asked a freshman his idea.

Attention grabbing activities and more creative activities, according to Jack Frischman, are how to attract new members. 

Getting new members for an organization is easy. But keeping membership up is often difficult. The best any club can do is incentivize people to show up year round with fun events and a relaxed atmosphere. 

So the class of 2028, as it seems, is not uniquely guilty when it comes to a lack of school spirit. If you’re a freshman, or if you’re not, now’s a great time to try something new. Worst case scenario: You spend an afternoon out of your comfort zone. But in the best case? You discover a new hobby to love.