Clubs at KHS

Whether students want to give back to the community, talk politics or just chill and play guitar, there seems to be a place for everyone at KHS.

Young Republicans Club
The Young Republicans Club may be getting an undeserved bad reputation.
Dr. Lisa Autry, science teacher and club sponsor, said people sometimes think “mean” when they hear “Republican.”

“The number one thing is that conservatism is a value system.  It doesn’t mean [a conservative person is] mean or evil or greedy,” Autry said.

What the club does is educate people on what they are really about.
“I give [the club] a place, and they really do everything,” Autry said.
The club has had speakers like Rick Stream, state representative for Kirkwood and Des Peres, come in, and they have also discussed current political topics.

“I didn’t even know about the club last year,” Blakely Stretch, senior and president of the club, said.

People do not have to have all-Republican beliefs to be in the club, either.

“Sometimes I’ll go moderate.  I’m not 100 percent Republican,” Stretch said.

Guitar Club
If students think they have to know how to play guitar to be in Guitar Club, they are wrong.
David Williams, teacher and club sponsor, said experience is not necessary to join Guitar Club.
The club was created nine years ago when students wanted to play guitar after school.

“I started this club.  It just sort of happened,” Williams, who has been teaching guitar since 1977, said.

“If you’re looking to learn, or you already know how to play, just come and jam,”  Khalah Albert, junior, said.  “It’s a musical environment.”

The club is also a great place to meet new people.

“You meet up with other musicians,” Blake Voller, freshman who had already been playing three and a half years before joining, said  “It’s filled with great people.”

Young Democrats Club
The Young Democrats Club has a new energy this year than it has had in the past.
The club came back to life this year after “KHS 4 Obama,” which was a group created last year during the election year.  This year the group is called the Young Democrats Club, which was at KHS previously but with less enthusiasm.

“We brought [the Young Democrats] back this year,”  Ryan Schuessler, senior and club president, said. “It’s important that we keep these things around, even if it’s not an election year.”
The club also demonstrates the individualism at KHS.  According to Jim Cibulka, science teacher and club sponsor, some of the club members’ parents are not politically involved or are not even Democrats.  However their kids are getting involved in politics.

“KHS promotes independent minds,” Cibulka, said.

Kirkwood Youth Service (KYS)
Many students may want to do more for their community.  They just might not know where to go.
Constantly receiving calls and emails about opportunities, KYS is always busy helping the community, whether members are volunteering at the canned food drive, tutoring or helping at the AIDS garden.

“Some ideas are initiated outside of school, some [ideas] students come up with,”  Bob Becker, science teacher and KYS sponsor, said.
Unlike National Honor Society (NHS)  which also does community service, people do not have to meet a GPA requirement to be a part of KYS.
Not only can anybody join, people don’t have to wait to sign up to get involved.

“One of the main questions is, ‘Where do I sign up?’” Tony Fonseca, junior and KYS president, said.  “I want people to know that KYS is not something you have to be on a list.”
Members are also doing their duty to the community by being involved in KYS.

“It’s a responsibility to get involved and help out,” Becker said.