At Seminole High, extracurricular activities, ranging from sports to the arts, receive no money from the school or Seminole County, forcing them to rely on fundraising and advertisements to support their club. It is a common misconception that all schools fund their sports. However, at SHS, sports must count on fundraising and donations to pay for jerseys, equipment, transportation, and other necessities. The arts, like theatre, choir, and band, also depend on fundraising to pay for the different aspects of their extracurricular.

Thespians, for instance, have a booster organization that allows for students to come up with fundraising ideas to provide for themselves. The SHS Theatre Company collects money from tickets sold at their productions to pay for costumes, props, and makeup for their next show. They also obtain money from donations and fundraising.

“We are very lucky that we have a lot of people come see our productions,” said the Troupe 3266 and Theatre Company director, Tiffany Ortiz. “Would it be great to have money allotted to us each year? Yes, that would be a lot less pressuring.”

Most of the money the school gets from Seminole County goes to the education department. The funds pay for textbooks, standardized tests, school supplies, and other essentials which are all fundamental in supporting a public high school. However, sports and the arts should also receive funds, since they give students an opportunity to express themselves and show their abilities in areas other than education.

Likewise, sports do not get any funding. coaches and athletes rely on the booster organizations for help with paying for their expenses.

Coach Shenique Gilbert of the girl’s basketball said, “Anytime we need money, we’d probably ask the boosters. They’re the ones that help us out if we’re in dire need and give us opportunities to perhaps raise money through them as well. But for the most part, it is known that we are responsible for raising money so that’s the part of coaching: coming up with ideas to fundraise.”

No funding is not only a hassle for the advisers and coaches of these extracurricular activities, but it also affects the students who have to pay for the necessities on their own. For example, band students in Pride of the Tribe can either be supplied an instrument that the school may have or they buy one of their own. The school supplies certain instruments that are rented out for 50 dollars a semester.

“For certain instruments, they can supply a school owned one that you rent, but most kids go to a music store and buy or rent one from there,” said junior Carli McAvoy, a trumpet player. “I rented mine from a local music store which we’re paying 28 dollars a month for until it’s paid off.”

Dazzlers are another example of students who pay for their own expenses. Dazzlers have to pay for outfits, dance camp, and transportation to competitions while simultaneously garnering sponsorship money. Fundraising is also a requisite in which every dancer raises 60 dollars each month.

Extracurricular activities can benefit students in a number of ways, making their funding imperative. Sports allow students to accumulate skills such as teamwork, cooperation, leadership, and dedication. The arts, such as choir and band, offer ways for students to have a creative outlook and use self-expression. All extracurricular activities are important and beneficial for students who can use these extracurricular to their own advantage. The fact that these clubs and organizations do not receive funds from the school is discourteous considering they have to acquire money all on their own.