Seminole High School (SHS), like many other schools, allows students to have the creative freedom of starting clubs of their interest. SHS first began Art Club during the 2021-2022 school year, with the club being founded by Sohana Raisa, currently a senior IB student and Varsity Weightlifting Captain for the school. Art club, over the past three years since its founding, has been helping students to collaborate and create closer bonds through their like-minds and passion for creation.
Art Club started small, with no funds and only materials used from the art classroom. Art Club has expanded since their first year, and for the past 2 school years they’ve been collecting $15 dues from each member to raise money for supplies and better quality art materials. It even allowed the club to expand in their creative mediums, being able to purchase more and therefore create more. Art Club, however, did not bring in dues until their second year.
One member, Jasmine Kennedy, a junior Health Academy student, joined her freshman year. She mentions her favorite ways to express herself: “Art is one of the only activities that acts as an escape from reality for myself. I [also] love architecture, so it’s another way for me to become more creative to think of more architectural findings.” She expresses that the club is a safe space for friends, and they can express and be themselves however they please.
Art club, in its first years, was hosted on the Ninth Grade Campus. As of the 2023-2024 school year, the club has moved onto the Main Campus into the art building, hosted by art teacher Ms. Vasquez. No matter the space, Art Club thrives on the collaboration of officers, as well as members to create this fun filled space. People are encouraged to bring friends, as well as their own supplies if they would like to create something with personal materials.
One of the officers of Art Club, Ruby Feng, a junior IB student joined Art Club in her Freshman year as Vice President, and has held that position into her Junior year. Her position is to organize plans as well as care for the president’s other responsibilities describes Art Club as “an open place to hangout with friends and share creativity and just have fun. There isn’t any judgment and everybody enjoys their time there.” Art Club is made to be a welcoming space for SHS students to be themselves and enjoy as well as experience the environment together. Ruby, like many other students, have noted their relationships have gotten much stronger with their friends over the course of Art Club, spending time out of class to share company with one another and work together in different ways to express ideas.
Art Club takes freedom of self expression further, by hosting creative events for students to attend, often for free. Last 2022-2023 school year, the Art Club hosted a Thrift Fair. Students were encouraged to bring in their personal clothing in exchange for tickets that were used to “purchase” other student’s items. This event was extremely successful, and many non-members even came to the experience, all for free. Another hit event held by Art Club was Pumpkin Painting, students could choose between a mini, fake pumpkin or a bigger, real pumpkin. Paints and supplies provided. Art Club usually shares pictures of weekly club results online, mainly Instagram.
Art Club can be not only a creative outlet, but a place to combine like minds, share experiences with one another as well as create closer bonds and practice expressive skills through creations of various themes.