TURTLE CLUB
By Amelia Kirkpatrick
We are in the third month of our second semester and I guarantee that about ⅚ of this school has never heard of Turtle Club. A club about turtles, “the trash crew”, “the recycling gang,” are all names this club has been called. Of course, those aren’t really what you hear when walking around campus or talking with friends. I’m positive you haven’t heard those names at all! Nevertheless, this club is more than just “saving the turtles”⎯the club’s slogan when it was first made⎯ The Turtle Club is a student made organization that cleans up around the campus. Members recycle paper, plastic water bottles, and soda cans and dispose of trash. Every Tuesday they meet in room 612, after school at 3:45 pm, and then end the clean up usually around 4:40 pm. Personally, joining this club has been a great experience. It is a very helpful way for me to receive community service hours and I recommend it to all grade levels.
Furthermore, as a cabinet member of Turtle Club, I highly encourage everyone to at least stop by to check the club out. Like I said before, I’m positive the majority of the school has never heard of this club. That is why I am writing this article. When the club first started, it was 2019. It flourished in the beginning because it was a new club. Now, it is barely heard of. So many students are missing out on an excellent experience of growth. When I first joined this club, I was shy and knew nobody. I stayed quiet as my peers exchanged laughs and comments as we all picked up trash. I missed out honestly in the first couple months, but as each club meeting went by, I grew out of my shell. I became more social and got to know everyone in the club. I even enjoyed picking up the trash and paper on the ground because I knew I was doing it surrounded by new friends. Turtle Club has shown me how simple it is to grow into the person you want to be. It gave me the opportunity to meet new people and to enjoy helping my community.
That being said, my next point of this article is to express how convenient and easy it is to gain service hours. Although this club is enjoyable and fun, some people might only do it for hours. I can understand why that’s their main reason, because I had that same idea as well in the beginning of the year. Of course, now I mostly do it because I want to be around my friends, but receiving community service is a huge bonus! In the first semester I received 7 hours. I could have gotten more if I hadn’t joined high school soccer that season, but I don’t regret it. Moreover, the club provides other opportunities for community service if anyone is looking for more. Usually, the school provides the information, but some students don’t hear about it. That’s where Turtle Club comes in. We let others know where and how they can get more involved in the community, whether it be for hours or not.
Overall, I believe Turtle Club is a great experience not just for me, but to everyone. It helps as a community service opportunity and it lets you create meaningful friendships with the people you meet. With that, it is never too late to join the club. The last meeting will take place at the end of April. For more information on the schedule and about the club itself, stop by at 612 and ask the teacher during nutrition, lunch or after school on tuesday.
Furthermore, as a cabinet member of Turtle Club, I highly encourage everyone to at least stop by to check the club out. Like I said before, I’m positive the majority of the school has never heard of this club. That is why I am writing this article. When the club first started, it was 2019. It flourished in the beginning because it was a new club. Now, it is barely heard of. So many students are missing out on an excellent experience of growth. When I first joined this club, I was shy and knew nobody. I stayed quiet as my peers exchanged laughs and comments as we all picked up trash. I missed out honestly in the first couple months, but as each club meeting went by, I grew out of my shell. I became more social and got to know everyone in the club. I even enjoyed picking up the trash and paper on the ground because I knew I was doing it surrounded by new friends. Turtle Club has shown me how simple it is to grow into the person you want to be. It gave me the opportunity to meet new people and to enjoy helping my community.
That being said, my next point of this article is to express how convenient and easy it is to gain service hours. Although this club is enjoyable and fun, some people might only do it for hours. I can understand why that’s their main reason, because I had that same idea as well in the beginning of the year. Of course, now I mostly do it because I want to be around my friends, but receiving community service is a huge bonus! In the first semester I received 7 hours. I could have gotten more if I hadn’t joined high school soccer that season, but I don’t regret it. Moreover, the club provides other opportunities for community service if anyone is looking for more. Usually, the school provides the information, but some students don’t hear about it. That’s where Turtle Club comes in. We let others know where and how they can get more involved in the community, whether it be for hours or not.
Overall, I believe Turtle Club is a great experience not just for me, but to everyone. It helps as a community service opportunity and it lets you create meaningful friendships with the people you meet. With that, it is never too late to join the club. The last meeting will take place at the end of April. For more information on the schedule and about the club itself, stop by at 612 and ask the teacher during nutrition, lunch or after school on tuesday.