Vista has over thirty registered clubs on campus with a club for just about everybody. But are there too many?

Some people feel that Vista has too many clubs that are not productive or beneficial  to students. Forming a club is sometimes thought of as an easy way to boost the appearance of college applications, but it is now becoming more and more difficult to get through all of the clubs.

Club advisors are in limited supply since many are taken already. For that reason, Vista has recently set more strict policies toward starting a new club.

In order to start a new club, club leaders need to develop and turn in a club constitution. “One third of club leaders this year haven’t even turned in their constitutions yet,” said Activities Director Heidi Schultz.

“Gold Star clubs” are clubs that have eighty percent of students participating regularly, and have monthly progress reports showing success and progress. Student Government is said to be in the process of removing what some may call the “pointless clubs.”

Many clubs have high educational value, reflecting what is taught in class, while others are based off common hobbies of many students, like the Fishing Club, LARP club and Ping Pong Club. Some teachers see potential in clubs that are not as big as others.  “I really hope the Ping Pong Club is a big success, and we can bring out ping-pong tables at lunch and really bring it up a level,” said Schultz.

Some feel that many of these clubs are unnecessary, and other simply stay out of it. “I think clubs are just a way of expressing yourself. If somebody wants to be a part of a certain club, it’s none of my business,” said freshman Makenzie Orloff.

There is a strong sentiment that new clubs are being started simply for the positive impact on college applications. “There are way too many clubs on campus, and half don’t even do anything. People just put them on back burners,” said president of Model U.N. club, Jake Gorton. “But there are some that definitely improve the culture of Vista and the community as a whole.”

However, there are some clubs that are very active parts of Vista’s community. “The most important clubs are the ones who are active and have clubs meetings two or three times a month,” said Schultz. “There are many new clubs that are doing very well like the One Love club, Club EDGE, and the Fishing Club.”

Whether you agree or disagree that Vista has too many clubs, there is no doubt that there is a spot for everybody to be a part of something that sparks their interest.