Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular Activities

WELCOME TO CHEROKEE COUNTRY!!! As members of the Cherokee family we're sure that you'll uphold and further enhance the Cherokee High School reputation.

A very positive part of your high school experience can and should be extracurricular activities. Clubs and organizations offer you an excellent opportunity to try new things and to become involved in your school's community.

The following is a list of the extracurricular activities already established at Cherokee. If you'd like to become involved in any of these activities, contact the advisor.

STUDENT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

Cherokee Mediators – Mr. Petruska & Mrs. Pletcher

Cherokee Mediators help to resolve conflicts between students. Students who are in dispute may request a mediation session and within 24 hours the session is arranged. Two students along with a teacher facilitator listen to both sides of the conflict and then brainstorm possible resolutions with the disputants. A final contract is written and both students agree to honor the guidelines.

Environmental Club - Advisor: Mr. Procida & Mrs. Allen

The Environmental Club is a group of students interested in learning about and improving the environment. Some activities are hikes, clean-ups, canoe trips, tree plantings, and seminars.

Future Educators of America (FEA) – Advisor: Mrs. Wang

FEA is a club for students interested in a career in education. The club is chartered through Phi Delta Kappa. Students are given experiences to broaden their knowledge base in the field of education. Students will learn about various careers available at the various levels in education. Classroom visitations and speakers from colleges help to provide useful information and guidance to those who may be interested in teaching, counseling and other related careers.

Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) – Advisor: Ms. Rulo

Interact - Advisor: Ms. Giles

Interact, an organization sponsored by Rotary International, provides young people with the opportunity to use their time and talents in service to the school and community. Besides that lofty purpose, it's lots of fun. The more members they have, the more good they can try to do.

Leo Club - Advisor: Ms. Mooney

The Leo Club is an official activity of Lions Clubs International that encourages young men and women to serve others in their community and around the world. Leo Clubs are sponsored by local Lions Clubs and may be either school affiliated or community based. Leo Club activities include regular meetings, service projects, and volunteer work.

National Honor Society - Advisors: Mrs. Polites & Mr. Smith

The NHS is a service organization, whose members are selected from among juniors and seniors with an unweighted scholastic average of at least 3.25 and a record of service, leadership, and good character. The NHS's many activities include fund raising for various charities, tutoring fellow students, and many others.

Peer Adolescent Listening Support (PALS) – Advisor: Mrs. Orzechowski

The Peer Leadership Program is for students interested in improving their communication and leadership skills. Students must take part in a training program, after which they continue to attend informative workshops. Students are then selected to participate in programs within the school and community, including serving as role models and helpers for younger students, grades K-8.

Renaissance - Advisors: Mrs. Kuhlow, Ms. DeClementi, Mr. Lamplugh & Mrs. Gallombardo

Renaissance is a national organization working to create a culture in which academic excellence is supported and rewarded. Members support programs which reward student performance, academic achievement, and partnerships among administrators, teachers, parents, the community and local businesses.

Some Renaissance projects include:

                ·        People's Choice Awards
                ·        Teacher Appreciation Days
                ·        Renaissance Honor Card System
                ·        Perfect Attendance Program
                ·        Senior Farewells

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) – Advisor: TBA

SADD has been in existence since 1981. The goals of SADD are designed to bring together the school, community, and family in an effort to eliminate drug abuse and deaths due to the combination of drinking and driving.

Student Council - Advisors: Mrs. Trotta, Mrs. Collins, Mr. Petragnani & TBA

The Student Council provides students a voice in student affairs. Through homeroom representatives, delegates-at-large, and the Executive Committee, a large number of students are able to become involved in school spirit activities, such as pep rallies, homecoming, the frosh social, and charitable work, such as blood drives.

CLUBS - COMPETITIVE

Chess Club - Advisor: Mr. Peoples

The Chess Club meets every Thursday after school from 2:30-3:50. Together they play regular chess and other variations of the game. They also explore and discuss different chess strategies and will be competing in the South Jersey Chess League this year.

Debate Club - Advisor: Ms. Rulo

The Cherokee Debate Team is a member of the South Jersey Debate League. The team is open to all students interested in practicing and sharpening their skills of argumentation and communications. This club is a great way for students to acquire the ability and confidence that enables one to reach his or her full potential.

Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) - Advisor: Mrs. Eisenhardt

DECA is the student organization for the Marketing Education Program which allows students to participate in competency-based competitive events in their chosen career fields, providing them the opportunity to practice their skills in marketing, merchandising, management, and entrepreneurship. Club meetings are held once a month.

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) - Advisor: Mrs. Hughes

The FBLA is an organization of business students whose goals are to facilitate the transition from school to the business world.

Knowledge Bowl Team - Advisor: Mr. Dadino

The Knowledge Bowl team combines students' enthusiasm for learning with the excitement of competition. In a "Jeopardy" format, team members compete in tournaments with other N. J. high school students. A computer tournament is also conducted twice a year, giving Cherokee's team a chance to compare its score with teams from around the country.

Math Club - Advisor: Mr. Kornhauser

All students who have an interest in solving challenging mathematics problems may join. The Math Club participates in County, State and National competitions. Students are offered the opportunity to explore problems that are not typically seen in the classroom.

Science League - Advisor: Mrs. Scheinberg

The Science League is a statewide competition using four students per team in each of the following subjects: earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, advanced biology, advanced chemistry, and advanced physics. Competitions are held once a month from January to April at a selected local site after school. Individual, team, and school scores are computed and ranked across the state, with recognition in each area awarded by the Science League.

CLUBS - NON-COMPETITIVE

Afro-American Club – Advisor: Mrs. Hargrave

The Afro-American Club is open to all students interested in discovering more about the contributions of Afro-Americans and other minority groups in our society. Meetings, speakers, field trips and school displays are some of the activities used to create an awareness and appreciation of the influence of different cultures.

Art Club – Advisor: Mrs. Henning

The Art Club is a service-oriented club open to all art students and past club members. The club's activities change yearly, but have included a "Lunch with Santa" in December, a candy sale to raise funds for a field trip, making posters and banners for various events, and doing murals.

Biology Club - Advisor: Mrs. Sidelsky

The Biology Club is open to all students interested in extending the classroom experience in the area of biology. Club members take part in a variety of projects under the supervision of the advisor.

Cherokee High Racing Association - Advisor: Mr. Fitzpatrick

The Cherokee High Racing Association "CHRA" is a club made up of boys and girls from all grades. The club has a race car that we race at Atco Raceway on Friday nights. Our biggest fund raiser is a custom car show at Walmart in Marlton. We have meetings a number of times throughout the course of the year to discuss various subjects.

Cooperative Business Education Club (CBE) – Advisor: Mrs. Lord-Morgan

For seniors currently enrolled in Cooperative Business Education. Seniors earn academic credit while working part time. The CBE Club elects officers to organize fundraisers, perform community service projects, plan advisory council meetings, and coordinate the annual employer appreciation banquet, as well as prepare for scholarship testing.

History Club - Advisor: Mr. Ryder

To provide a focus and source of enrichment for students with an interest in History, through regular meetings, viewing of films and documentaries, guest speakers, trips to historical locations, and publication of a newsletter and possible community service projects.

Meteorology Club – Advisor: TBA

The goals of the Meteorology Club are to prepare a weather forecast each morning for the school, and to act as an official reporting station (our code letters are MLTN4) to the National Weather Service; they report maximum and minimum temperatures and rainfall amounts. Students learn how to read weather instruments and prepare forecasts using a computer; they also have a monthly breakfast and have taken field trips to the National Weather Service.

Paleontology Club – Advisor: Mr. Ryder

The Paleontology Club is affiliated with the Delaware Valley Paleontology Society. The club will meet twice a month to view films and hear presentations on fossils and ancient life forms.

Photography Club – Advisor: Mr. Haney

Potter’s Club – Advisor: Mrs. V. Wilson

Purpose is to study the history and methods of traditional and contemporary pottery construction, as well as to actually produce ceramic ware.

Technology Student Association – Advisor: Mr. Kralik

World Affairs Council - Advisor: Mr. Weinert

The goal of this club is to have students interact with various leaders in government, business, and the community. In addition, the council provides students the opportunity to learn and have fun by traveling to Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Youth Researcher Society - Advisor: Mrs. Sidelsky

Develop research projects for science fairs.

Web Club - Advisors: Mrs. Czop-Bartley

The purpose of this club is to design, update, and maintain Cherokee's web pages. Pages will be developed for each club, department, sport, etc. using HTML and FrontPage. All ideas and work will be approved by advisors before being put out on the web.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLUBS

French Club – Advisors: Mrs. Wainwright, Ms. E. Witzig & Mr. Lovelle

The French Club is open to all students taking French regardless of their academic standing. Activities are held after school or on Saturdays and are geared to encouraging cultural awareness and understanding.

German Club - Advisors: Mr. Lovelle & Mrs. Hofmann

The German Club serves to enhance and broaden the culture taught in the classroom. This is accomplished through field trips and several in-school activities throughout the year.

Italian Club – Advisors: Mr. Lovelle & Mr. Viva

The Italian Club serves to enhance and broaden the culture taught in the classroom. This is accomplished through field trips and several in-school activities throughout the year.

Latin Club – Advisor: Mrs. Underwood

The Latin Club is open to any current or former Latin student. Its purpose is to extend the cultural experiences of ancient Rome via celebrations, festivals and games.

Spanish Club - Advisors: Mrs. Brandt, Ms. Escalona, Mrs. Gallombardo, Mrs. Pirrotta, Mrs. Steinmetz, Mrs. Tsigounas, Mrs. Wang, Ms. Urtasan, Mrs. Wellborn

The Spanish Club serves to enhance and broaden the culture taught in the classroom. This is accomplished through field trips and several in-school activities throughout the year.

Note: All the foreign language clubs donate scholarships to the outstanding student in the respective language.

PUBLICATIONS

The Scout – Advisors: Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Stokes & Mrs. Ley

The Scout is Cherokee's newspaper. Student members work on news features, sports, editorials and photography. The scout is published monthly.

The Scribe – Advisor: Ms. Winder

The Scribe is Cherokee's literary magazine. All students are invited to make contributions of a creative nature, such as poetry and short stories. Students may also take a more active part and participate in the editing and layout of the magazine.

Talking Leaves (Yearbook) – Advisors: Mrs. Haessler, Mrs. Roppoli, Ms. Mooney, Mr. Peoples, Mrs. Wellborn

The purpose of the yearbook is to provide students with the opportunity to assist in the production of a publication that records for history the events of the current school year. Students become involved in all aspects of production: layout, photography, writing, editing, sales, and distribution.

DRAMA / STAGE

Drama Club - Director: Mr. Sax, Assistant: Ms. Winder

Each year in the fall, the Drama Club puts on a theatrical production for the school and the community.

Spring Musical – Director: Mr. Guerrini

The Spring Musical is an activity open to all students. In the mounting and presentation of a full-scale theater production, students are involved as actors, actresses, singers and dancers. They may also help in set design, lighting, sound mixing and other technical aspects of the show. Rehearsals begin in February and the actual performances are in May.

Stage Crew - Advisor: Mr. Sax

The Stage Crew is responsible for everything backstage and for the lighting during all performances in Cherokee's auditorium. Their biggest task is the Spring Musical, for which they are responsible for building and decorating the set, performing lighting cues, and moving the sets between acts.

MUSIC

Band Front - Advisor: Ms. Dropcho

The Band Front consists of colorguards, flag carriers, majorettes and the pom-pom squad. These groups appear with the marching band at football games and parades. They also perform in several competitions every year.

Jazz Band – Director: Mr. Reimer

The Jazz Band is open to interested band members who enjoy playing jazz music. Enrollment is by invitation and audition. The Jazz Band performs at school and in festivals and competitions throughout the school year.

Marching Band – Director: Mr. Reimer, Assistant: Mr. Capriotti

The Marching Band performs at football games, parades, competitions and festivals throughout the school year. Any students who have experience playing a band instrument are welcome to join.

Orchestra Program – Director: Mrs. Schmidt

The Orchestra Program consists of the string orchestra, the string quartet, and the symphony orchestra. Courses are available for strings and for orchestra, and lessons are scheduled for violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Orchestra members are also invited to participate in the Lenape District Regional Orchestra for credit.

CLASS ACTIVITIES

Freshman Class – Advisors: Ms. Krisciunas & Mr. Hanna

The idea is to get as many freshman involved as possible, so that the new students soon feel at home at Cherokee, make new friends, and catch that Cherokee spirit! The main activities during freshman year are the freshman dance, and a candy sale.

Sophomore Class – Advisors: Mrs. Lum & Mr. Delores

The sophomore class activities typically include participation in homecoming, a ring dance in December, and the sophomore cotillion in May. The sophomores are also saving money for their senior trip; installments are collected in the autumn and the spring.

Junior Class – Advisors: Mrs. Costello & Mr. McMichael

The junior class has several activities each year, among them the junior lock-in, a possible class trip, a big part of homecoming, and a candy sale to help raise money for next year's senior trip.

Senior Class – Advisors: Mr. Kornhauser & Ms. Gartenmayer

The many senior class activities provide students with an opportunity to make friends, have fun, and earn money for their class accounts. Throughout a busy year, seniors may take part in a fundraiser, work at the football concession stands, help plan homecoming, attend senior night and the senior prom, and join the excitement of the class trip to Disney World. Other activities such as picnics, lock-ins and various contests are often held, depending on the involvement of the activities chairperson and the input of the homeroom representatives.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Athletic Trainers – Advisor: Mr. Wood

Students who wish to enter the field of athletic medicine, or simply wish to get involved in an important and interesting activity are invited to sign up as student athletic trainers. This is a responsible position; only students who have maintained a GPA of 2.50 or higher, and are dependable and mature need apply! Student trainers will learn many skills and be assigned to a varsity team.

Cherokee People Club - Advisor: Mr. Caccamo

The Cherokee People Club brings students and faculty up to date on the daily happenings at our school. Student reporters broadcast the Daily Announcements, sports results from the previous day, and special news, such as awards won by students, teachers, or groups. A weather report gives the update from the Cherokee weather station.

Project U.S.E. – Advisors: Mr. Procida & Mrs. Allen

Project U.S.E. is an experiential education program similar to Outward Bound. Students are introduced to challenging outdoor activities such as cross country skiing, rock climbing, and backpacking.

Music Appreciation Club – Advisor: Ms. Rulo

The Music Appreciation Club is for students who are passionate about music but perhaps do not have any formal training in it. The club meets monthly. Among other things, the Music Appreciation Club will support an appreciation for diversity and a respect for differences of opinion.

Electronics Club – Advisor: Mr. Ziegler

Some of the activities envisioned by the Electronic Club include: integrating hobbies with electronic devices, participating in electronic competitions vs. other schools’ electronic clubs, sponsoring “show & tell” guest speakers from academia and industry and networking with university and industry representatives to seek educational and employment opportunities.

Current Affairs Club – Advisor: Mr. Gallo

The Current Affairs Club meets weekly to discuss current issues in the news.

If you need further explanation or have questions to be answered, contact the club advisor or Mr. Schramm, the Student Activities Director. We would be happy to speak with you. We look forward to your involvement in the activities at Cherokee High School. Become involved and share in the Cherokee Pride.

Back to Student Activities Page

last updated: 24 February 2005