Hi! I’m thinking of starting a politics club at my school next year, but I’m not 100% sure on what to focus on. I know we’ll have discussions, guest speakers, and debates, but what else do you recommend to make the club stand out? Thanks
You need a mentor (teacher) who will facilitate the club. You will also need approval from the school principal. Meet with your guidance counselor first and ask what you need to do to get the club up and running. This process can take several months, so start early.
You will want to ensure that the club will continue after you’ve left high school, so make it attractive to younger students too. I think in this highly divisive era of American politics, you might want to focus on displaying a spirit of bipartisanship. That will be a very positive aspect to make your club stand out. Ensure your club devotes equal time to different political viewpoints. Your idea has potential if you approach it the right way. Good luck.
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Start with a social studies or history teacher- they will have ideas for you on the way to structure the group. Some HS’s have the politics club as part of a debate team, some have it as part of a civics/community engagement initiative. You’ll get multiple perspectives (probably helpful ones) the more teachers you speak with!
You may want to talk to someone like your mayor and city council president or town manager etc and see if they have suggestions for teaching the basics of your city government for students who do not know much. Do you have a local Y - they might have a Youth in Government program that would be an excellent source of youth speakers.