Want to get your middle or high school student involved in something after school? Athletics may be the obvious go-to, but they can be a substantial time (and monetary) commitment for both parents and students.

Teacher-sponsored school clubs — with the convenience of being at school and of no or nominal cost — are an evolving and eclectic mix of activities. No matter the club, they serve in the very least as structured socialization time for preteens and teens, with the bonus that they may discover or further develop a niche that interests them.

Options vary by school, and at the middle school level include academically focused clubs such as math, science and writing, as well as hobby-based clubs such as the gardening, book and gamer clubs. Among the options are Socrates Cafe at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School, Garden Club at South, Environmental Club at Southwest and Written & Illustrated Club at West.

At the high school level, options are even more wide-ranging, with several dozen clubs at each school. And with options such as My Little Pony Club, Sweater Club or Supernatural Club, there are several that break the mold. Each high school has a list of each club’s sponsor and meeting location on its website.

For example, at Lawrence High School, there is the Adventure Club, Ping Pong Club, Young Feminists Club and the Habitat for Humanity Club. At Free State High School, options include Anime Club, Philosophy Club, Graphic Design Club and Star Wars Club.

Clubs meet weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, so students can be involved in more than one. All the middle and high school clubs are listed on each school’s website under the activities tab. Each school’s website can be found under the “Select a school” tab at USD497.org.

Middle School Links (Under “Activities” tab):

– [Liberty Memorial Central Middle
School][1]
– South Middle School
– Southwest Middle School
– West Middle School

High School Links:

– Lawrence High School
– Free State High School