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High School Club Descriptions
2024-2025 School Year
Please reach out to Mrs. Sgroi (SgroiJ@mersd.org) if you would like to start a club!
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A World of Difference
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When: TBD
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Where: Learning Commons and B123
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Start Date: November
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Contact: Ms. Tran, tranj@mersd.org Ms. DuBois, duboisl@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION
Students who apply to be a part of the organization and are accepted receive training from curriculum inspired by the Anti-Defamation League. In the spring, AWOD members facilitate activities and conversations in our classrooms with younger students to promote inclusiveness and respect for differences.
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Art Club
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When: Tuesdays, 2:15-3:15 all year unless posted
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Where: HS art room, B228
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Start Date: Second week school
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Contact: Mrs. Burns, burnst@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION:
MERHS Art Club is a low-key, drop-in after school club. This club meets every Tuesday, in B228 from 2:15-3:15 all year long. Students can choose to work in a variety of media including: drawing, painting, wheel throwing, computer graphics, and sculpture. Students may work on art projects from other courses as well. Mrs. Burns is the club advisor.
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Beach Clean Up Club
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When: One or two times a month
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Where: Singing Beach
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Start Date: Second week of school
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Contact: Mr. Hartan hartank@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION:
The beach clean-up club is student run. The club meets one or two times per month (weather permitting). Students do choose when and where to meet. Meetings usually take place at Singing Beach.
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Debate Team
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When: Thursdays after school
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Where: B305
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Start Date: Second week of September
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Contact: Mrs Woodcock woodcockl@mersd.org, Stella Straub straubs@meapps.org, Gwen Berger bergerg@meapps.org
DESCRIPTION:
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DECA
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When: In business classes. District competition is in the second week of January each year.
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Where: Room 304
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Start Date: First day of school
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Contact: Mr. Alston, alstonb@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION
DECA is a worldwide business club with competitions, conferences, and various other events that help prepare students for a potential business career while maintaining a focus on important real world skills like presenting and networking. All full year, honors level business classes require participation in DECA as the competitions are a major component of the classes.
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Finance and Investment Club
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When: Every 2 weeks, right after school
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Where: Mr. Alstons room, 304
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Start Date: November 7
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Contact: croftj@meapps.org , alstonb@meapps.org
DESCRIPTION: Low commitment, fun club where you can relax and learn a little bit about the world of finance and investing. Games with small prizes, guest speakers, and helpful presentations will help you get ready for DECA and the real world. Mr. Alston is the club advisor.
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French Club
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When: On Wednesday, once a month
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Where: B124
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Start Date: Beginning of School year
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Contact: Ms. Coshow
DESCRIPTION
The French Club at MERHS, which was started in 2021, meets once per month to celebrate French culture. In addition to speaking in French, we plan fun and educational activities such as learning about different regions of France and then playing a quiz game. If the topic is taught by a student, Mme. Coshow always has interesting insights and experience to add. Sometimes, we celebrate a French holiday, watch a French television show, or listen to French music. We will often play games and enjoy French food as well. At our October meeting, we played Petanque and ate pain chocolat!
In the Spring of 2023, MERHS published our first issue of the French cultural and literary magazine Le Frelon Francophone, which contains a range of French writings and artistic contributions. We look forward to publishing again this school year.
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Math Team
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When: Every Thursday September-March (Meets are typically the first Thursday of every month)
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Where: Mrs Woodcock’s room! B305
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Start Date: Second week of September
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Contact: Lauren Woodcock woodcockl@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION: Are you a mathlete? Do you like to flex your brain? Come join us as we practice math problems every week in Mrs. Woodcock’s room! On the first Thursday of every month we travel to competitions!
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Mock Trial
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When: Wednesday after school
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Where: B119
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Start Date: September-March
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Contact: Jennifer Michaud michaudj@mersd.rg
DESCRIPTION: The Massachusetts Bar Association's Mock Trial Program places high school students in a simulated courtroom, where they prepare a hypothetical case and then test their skills as lawyers and witnesses. MBA members serve as attorney coaches and judges, and thousands of high school students across Massachusetts participate.
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Model UN
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When: Mondays (once every 2-3 weeks)
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Where: B118
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Start Date: Nov 2023
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Contact: Charlie Langendorf
DESCRIPTION
Model United Nations is a club intended to teach its members about the United Nations and its functions, as well as key world issues. We have 2 types of meetings: Simulations, and events. Simulations are essentially a debate in which everyone receives a country, and you debate to pass legislation as if you were your country. Our events are usually fundraisers for issues like world hunger, or awareness campaigns. We meet once every 2-3 weeks. I hope to see you there!
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Morgan's Message
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When: Once a month during U block
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Where: Auditorium
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Start Date: September
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Contact: Cameron Molinare molinarec@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION Bring awareness and promote education for mental health for students involved in athletics. The goal is to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health for student-athletes.
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National Art Honor Society(NAHS)
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When: Meetings are at 7:15 am the first Thursday of each month
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Where: MERHS Learning Commons
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Start Date: Early October
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Contact: Mrs.Burns
DESCRIPTION:
The MERHS chapter of the National Art Honor Society is a national arts organization based on the following core requirements:
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Sophomore, juniors, and seniors are eligible
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Students that have taken or are taking a level two art course at MERHS
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Students that are invited to join based on their involvement with the arts at MERHS
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Peer Mentors
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When: Before School, Meeting dates TBD
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Where: Learning Commons
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Start Date: Applications in Spring, Year begins at 9th Grade Orientation
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Contact:conwelld@mersd.org; polkg@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION: Peer Mentors work collaboratively as a team to build a strong and supportive community within the school. This requires a commitment of time for events and activities such as Freshman Move-Up Day in June, New Student Orientation in August, Grade 9 U Block visits, Grade 8 Health Class sessions, panel discussions, The Week of Gratitude and various other programs designed to help younger students make a smooth transition to high school and enjoy a positive academic and social environment. Peer Mentors also plan and coordinate activities and initiatives that encourage and support all students academically, socially, emotionally, and personally.
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Poetry Club
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When: 2:15-3:00, every Thursday
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Where: Ms. Edgerton’s/Ms. Isensee’s room (B213)
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Start Date: September 2024
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Contact: wonsont@meapps.org
DESCRIPTION: We learn about poets of different identities and poetry movements throughout modern American history. We encourage members to write poetry that is meaningful to them and displays a reflection of themselves. Members are never judged and are encouraged to be themselves in this club.
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Robotics Team
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When: Oct-Dec: Mon, Tue, Fri Jan-Mar M-F
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Where: Room B139
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Start Date: Early October
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Contact: tangneym@mersd.org
The Manchester Essex Robotics Team strives to teach students the engineering process and essential engineering skills. From October to early January, we meet on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 2:30 to 4:30 in room B139, this is our pre-season schedule. From early January to March we meet every weekday 2:30-5:00, our main season schedule. During our pre-season, we focus on building teamwork skills, deconstructing the previous year's robot, and teaching CAD and coding classes. During our main season, we focus on building a large-scale robot that will be participating in that year's FIRST robotics competition (FRC). We get 8 weeks to design, build, and code the robot. After that time is up we then compete in Reading and Revere against dozens of other teams across the state!
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Science Team
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When: Every Tuesday after school. Second Tuesday of each month we compete at different schools.
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Where: Room 323
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Start Date: September
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Contact: Ms. Umile (umilek@mersd.org),
DESCRIPTION
The science team comprises students from various grade levels, backgrounds, and interests. It is a place where all science enthusiasts, from aspiring biologists to future physicists, come together to learn, explore, and excel. This team serves as a hub for scientific inquiry and collaboration, with a multifaceted approach that includes guest speakers, competitions against other schools, and engaging inquiry labs.
The team regularly hosts guest speakers who are experts in their respective fields. These speakers come from academia, industry, and research institutions, providing insights into the latest developments in various scientific disciplines.
The competitions challenge team members to apply their knowledge and critical thinking skills to solve complex problems. They also compete against other schools, showcasing their expertise and teamwork.
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Spanish Club
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When: U Block
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Where: B215
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Start Date: 1st day of School
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Contact: Mr. Bilsbury
The Spanish Club is eight years old and it was created by MERHS graduate Natalie Koopman as a way for her and others to get more Spanish language practice in every day. During U block time, if you are a member of the Spanish Club, you do all the things you would normally do in U block, like homework, chit chatting and visiting teachers, but all interaction is in Spanish. Rising juniors and seniors voluntarily sign up to be placed in El Club de Español in the spring for the following year.
The club is divided into the four Hogwarts houses to compete every Quarter for the House Cup. Points are earned for your house when a student is present in the collaboration space the whole block (not signed out to the library / visiting a teacher) and points are lost if English is Spoken. The winning house gets Dunkin Donut Munchkins on the last day of the Quarter. The last week of the quarter and at other random times during the quarter students from each house compete in survival games to earn more points for their house.
Additionally, this year's leadership is raising money for the Club to go to a Guatemalan restaurant as a group. The fundraisers can occur during the year if the club is interested in these types of cultural immersion experiences.
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SCAR: Student Coalition Against Racism
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When: Thursdays after school or Fridays during U-block
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Where: B217
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Start Date: September 6, 2024
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Contact: Allison Krause: krausea@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION:
SCAR, the Student Coalition Against Racism, works to promote understanding of systemic racism while finding opportunities to fight against it and to bring attention to traditionally marginalized voices.
SCAR centers its work on a three basic principles:
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LEARN the history
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AMPLIFY the voices
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STAND for justice
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Student Council
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When: the first week of each month
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Where: B124
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Start Date: November - June
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Contact: Ms. Fortunato fortunatoe@mersd.org
DESCRIPTION
Elected student officers from each class are invited to discuss ongoing class activities, fundraisers and plans for upcoming events. It is an opportunity for collaboration and networking between classes and across the school.
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Yearbook Club
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When: Mainly Independently - Some U-Blocks or before/after school depending on page deadlines
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Where: B310
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Start Date: September
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Contact: Ms. Brown
DESCRIPTION
Students in the Yearbook Club have the opportunity to plan and design all elements of the yearbook. Students are invited to apply to work on specific sections of the yearbook, depending on their interest and abilities. Most of the work as part of the yearbook club is done independently at different times throughout the school year.
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Book Club
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When: Two Mondays a month
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Where: B216
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Start Date: September
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Contact: Ms. Rice
DESCRIPTION
This student-run club meets once to twice a month to discuss a selected book. Each member gets an opportunity to select a text for the group to read. All students and genres are welcome!
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