Written by: Alina Gomez, Kathryn Harbauer, and Mikey Lysiak, Staff Writers
INVOLVEMENT: With 2673 current students and over 100 years of tradition, Poly High School maintains over 30 active clubs students can join.
In schools across the globe, clubs are a timeless and consistent facet for students to enjoy. Indeed, Poly offers many clubs, each diverse in style and appealing to a wide range of students; they are seemingly accepting of anyone and their personal hobbies, no matter what their interests are. If you are passionate about painting and drawing, Art club and Anime club might be for you. If you love reading and discussing with other avid readers, The Next Chapter might be right for you. Or if you love music, there is a wide range of music clubs like Jazz Club and the Music Tech Club.
It may feel overwhelming to pick a club, but all clubs are welcoming, important, and essential to the high school experience. Student representatives like Melissa Lysiak, an ambassador of Music Tech, where “everyone is a musician and connects with their love for music,” and a member of Poly’s Black Student Union (BSU), where “everyone connects with their heritage.”
If you see multiple clubs that interest you, you do not need to stick with just one, you can join as many as you like! In fact, Riverside Unified School District encourages all high school students to be in at least two extracurriculars, whether it be Band and Photography Club, Football and Bear Pals, or Gardening Club and Ceramics. These are only a few of the many clubs that can be attended at Poly, and below is a list with nearly all the information needed for you to become involved here on campus.
Club Information List of Poly High
Amnesty: The Amnesty club gathers students who debate and address the morality of various different subjects, particularly those concerning the foundations of human rights. Join this club if you are interested in debating and civil arguments.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mrs. Dubuisson
Club Representative (Student): Annabelle Lindwall
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Anime: Anime enthusiasts happily enjoy their favorite shows and genres in this welcoming club.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mrs. Beckman
Club Representative (Student): Laylah Zamora
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Art: Started by Mrs. Beckman, an art and photography teacher at Poly, Art club provides fun, engaging activities for students to grow their artistics skills.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mrs. Beckman
Club Representative (Student): Laylah Zamora
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
ASL: American Sign Language (ASL) club unites both deaf and hearing students, allowing club members to interact with each other, learn, and help one another learn ASL.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mr Dehoyos
Club Representative (Student): Taylor Bates/Ali Scheussler
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Baile Folklorico: This club seeks to bring more diverse involvement to Poly, teaching various Mexican dances.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Paulette Martinez
Club Representative (Student): Victoria Salcedo
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Bear Pals: Bear Pals focuses on forging student connections and creating a positive community for Poly’s special needs students. The club actively promotes treating everyone equally on campus.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mrs. Murtaugh
Club Representative (Student): Katelyn Sullivan
Email for Club Representative: Katelyn[email protected]
Club Representative (Student): Antonio Miguel Buan
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Black Student Union (BSU): BSU brings unity to all cultures on campus, being especially designed for African American students.
Black Student Union at Club Rush
Zuriah Causey (12) and Darlene Rivas (12)
Taken by Mr. Hansen
Club Adviser (Teacher): Delcampo
Club Representative (Student): Zuriah Causey
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Ceramics: Ceramics teaches the art of pottery and expands the creative mind of Poly students.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mrs. Williams
Club Representative (Student): Francisco Verdi
Email for Club Representative: Francisco[email protected]
College Bears: The College Bears Club is working to expand dual and concurrent enrollment for high school students, raise A-G completion, and encourage students to follow their passion.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mr. Scott
Club Representative (Student): Patrick Pascual
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Esports: A fun club that allows kids to follow their passions in gaming.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Del Campo
Club Representative (Student): Ethan finlay
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Environmental Save: This club dedicates itself to restoring the environment.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mr. Scott
Club Representative (Student): Patrick Pascual
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Fashion: Fashion club gathers a group of young, creative people, allowing them to express their interest in the world of fashion, design, and art.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Ms. Marlowe
Club Representative (Student): Daphne Higham
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Friends of Jesus Christ: This club focuses on spreading kindness, helping communities and small groups in need, and learning and teaching gratitude.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Elizabeth Arceo
Club Representative (Student): Suriyah Vargas
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Gardening: Gardening club teaches students how to garden and raises their environmental awareness.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mr Bagwell.
Club Representative (Student): Jocelyn Gonzalez
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA): GSA offers a safe place to learn and make friends with new members of the Poly community.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Bicksler
Club Representative (Student): Jenna finazzo
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Jazz: Students in this club are taught how to improvise and go with the flow when performing music, playing in many different genres (particularly jazz).
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mrs Hernadez
Club Representative (Student): Luisa Veloz
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (JROTC): For the prepared and determined students who join this extracurricular activity, JROTC prepares people for joining the military and aims to improve their physical and mental stability.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Victor H Napoles
Club Representative (Student): Cesar Padua-Dominguez
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
M.E.Ch.A: M.E.Ch.A celebrates Mexican heritage and helps spread its culture throughout school.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Alejo
Club Representative (Student): Carlee Disz (This name was copied from the info)
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Music Tech: The music tech club unites musicians throughoutpoly to play a variety of instruments.
Members of Music Tech Club
Shane Probst (12), Xylo Garcia (12), Noah Bates (12), Mateao Gonzalez (11), Melissa Lysiak (12), Brandon Valenti (12), Nyomi Romero (12)
Taken by the Music Tech Club
Club Adviser (Teacher): Base | Formerly: Habereder
Club Representative (Student): Melissa Lysiak
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Principle Center of Leadership (PCL): PCL aims to promote leadership and student involvement on campus.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Fulwider
Club Representative (Student): Viviana Martinez
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Pep Squad: Pep squad promotes and spreads POLY PRIDE.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Lindy Schive-Putnam
Club Representative (Student): Delaney Adcock
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Photography: Photography promotes artistic skills by encouraging its members to appreciate the art of photography and also critique the picturesof fellow peers.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mr. Schiller
Club Representative (Student): Samiah Gomez
Email for Club Representative:[email protected]
Red Cross: The Red Cross Club allows students to participate in activities focused on the Red Cross’s humanitarian mission, holding regular service projects and leadership training throughout the year to benefit both club members and the community.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Dana Fulwider
Club Representative (Student): Samantha Medina
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Rotary/Interact: This club interacts with the community and volunteers at different spots around libraries and picking up trash while giving back.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Mr. Schulte
Club Representative (Student): Andrew Appadorai
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Spikeball: Spikeball Club brings students and classmates together to play the fun backyard game of Spikeball.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Bautista
Club Representative (Student):Bandon Batcha
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Eco Bears: The Eco Bears aim to educate the community about climate change and the environment and simultaneously raise money for climate change initiatives.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Schrock
Club Representative (Student): Caroline Timko
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Chapter Book: The Next Chapter gathers students interested in reading and discussing modern literature.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Dubuisson
Club Representative (Student): Paige Runyan and Hayat Jalifa
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Theatre: Theatre puts on multiple shows throughout the school year, allowing students to perform and gain technical and theatrical experience.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Markermorse
Club Representative (Student): Twila Fraser-Hewlett and Xuan-anh Biggs
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Turning The Tables Music: Turning The Tables Music is a place to spread and share new, diverse selections of music..
Club Adviser (Teacher): Robinson
Club Representative (Student): Ronald Thorpe
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Video Crew: Video Crew teaches their members to film and edit video and also sends students to film live events such as Poly football games and theatre performances.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Enyeart
Club Representative (Student): Thatiana Smith, Melanie Gomez
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
Yearbook: By creating and producing the school yearbook, Yearbook creates a time capsule for every school year.
Club Adviser (Teacher): Sid Llera
Club Representative (Student):Katherine kraft
Email for Club Representative: [email protected]
While there are additional clubs at Poly (outside this list), students must apply or meet extra requirements to join them. These clubs are Choir, Avid, Comedy Sportz, Mock Trial, Link Crew, National Honors Society, National French Honors Society, Orchestra, Physics, Poly Spotlight, Puente, Marching Band, Spanish Honors Society, and Sports Medicine. There are a few newly-formed clubs here at Poly as well, but due to their recent addition, they are not listed . For more information, talk to a counselor or school adviser. All of the clubs would enjoy more people who have the same passions as the other members; so, if you see a club that interests you, don’t be afraid to join!