Student Organization Descriptions

The Interact Club was founded in 1962; “Interact” stands for “International Action.” The first club was established in Melbourne, Florida, but the movement quickly spread internationally. Today it is a thriving organization with over 150,000 members in 93 countries. The North Reading High School Interact Club is sponsored by the North Reading Rotary Club, which is also responsible for providing guidance on a continuing basis. The club is open to all North Reading High School students who possess good character and leadership potential. The club meets an average of twice per month with monthly community service opportunities throughout the year. Interact benefits its members, the Rotary Club, and the community that the Interact students serve. Through Interact, the young members develop initiative, leadership skills, and lasting friendships.
 

This program, developed for students interested in taking active legal roles, is sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association. Its goal is to help students develop their critical thinking skills, enhance understanding of the judicial process, and improve their ability to present themselves in public in a competent manner. Students are placed in a simulated courtroom situation where they must assume roles of lawyers and witnesses in a hypothetical case. The case is developed by a group of volunteers whose goal is to make the case relevant to young students’ lives. Those who participate on the team are required to engage in extensive preparation and intensive study.
 

The color guard is a part of our band program and performs at all band functions such as the home football games, rallies, field show competitions both in and out of state and parades at home and out of town. The students’ routines, which include dancing, marching and use of flags, ribbons and various other visual effects, are coordinated to enhance the musical as well as visual effects of our band.
 

The Popsicle is the high school’s literary magazine.  The Popsicle publishes students’ poems and stories. The staff votes on work submitted by students. Staff members and contributors may be from any class.  Meetings are held regularly and announced by the faculty advisor.
 

The Masquers Club is the dramatic organization which produces the Fall Play and the Annual Spring Musical. All students are welcome to join but to maintain membership each student must work in some capacity on each show. Besides acting, members design and make costumes, design and construct scenery, run the lighting, handle publicity, tickets, programs and all other aspects which make a show run smoothly. In addition, students earn points toward membership in the National Thespian Society, an international honorary society which recognizes outstanding work in dramatics.
 

The Math League is a member of the New England Mathematics League (NEML) and competes in math meets sponsored by the NEML. The League conducts six meets during the year usually on the first Tuesday of the month. Each meet is conducted locally and takes about a half hour of a student’s time. Our school’s standing is reported monthly among other schools in New England.  Other competitions such as the National High School Mathematics Exam and the Massachusetts Association of Math Leagues Exam are also entered. The club is open to all although a strong interest and aptitude in mathematics is rather a prerequisite.
 

The North Reading High School Chapter of the National Honor Society recognizes students with outstanding qualities of scholarship, character, leadership and service. Membership is both an honor and a responsibility. Members are selected by a faculty council, under rules established in the Bylaws of the North Reading Chapter, consistent with the rules and regulations of the Constitution of the National Honor Society. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate the qualities listed above. Selection: Students in the Junior and Senior classes are eligible for membership. Selection is made after the close of the first semester of the school year. The minimum grade point average, as determined by the faculty council, is 3.50 (*unweighted) and includes the student’s cumulative grades and further includes the student’s grades earned on mid-year examinations. Candidates who meet this requirement are then evaluated on the basis of character, leadership, and service. Eligible candidates must perform 30 hours of 59 service to the school or community in the induction year in order to meet qualifications for induction into the National Honor Society. For a detailed description of selection and membership rules, see the Bylaws of the North Reading Chapter of the National Honor Society available in the Main Office. *The use of the unweighted G.P.A. supports the belief that students shape their education around courses which incorporate their passions and interests. Students are fundamentally encouraged to take courses which appropriately challenge them. Student eligibility in the National Honor Society is not predetermined by the courses a student chooses, but by how a student performs in her/his selected courses.

 

The Deliberator is the school’s newspaper.  It is published in the local newspaper, The Transcript, periodically during the school year. Students contribute news stories, feature articles, and opinion pieces, and works with the staff of The Transcript on publishing the articles.
 

CHAPTER 95-An act establishing student advisory committees to school committees.

Be it enacted etc., as follows:  Chapter 71 of the Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by the inserting after Section 38L the following section:

Section 38M. School committees of cities, towns and regional school districts shall meet at least once every month, during the months that school is in session, with a student advisory committee to consist of five members to be composed of students elected by the student body of the high school or high schools in each city, town or regional district.  Students interested in seeking election to the Regional Student Advisory Committee are urged to speak to the high school principal or assistant principal.
 

The Stage Band is a small ensemble which performs jazz, rock and general dance and show music. The Stage Band is a class offered to students and meets weekly for an extended block of time outside of the regular school day under the direction of the Band Director. The instrumentation consists of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, drums, string bass guitar, guitar and piano. Admission is by audition only, and meetings are outside of the normal school hours. This group also participates in jazz festivities, competitions, and exchange concerts.
 

The Marching is a class offered to students during the Power Block.  Student participants engage in various opportunities to display their talents including concerts at the schools within the school district, community events, and athletic competitions, to name but a few.
 

The purpose of the yearbook is to capture the particular personality of the whole school for the school year while focusing on the seniors. Distributed during senior week, the book contains all fall and winter activities, spring activities from the previous years, faculty, and students. More than just a compiling of facts and records, it contains many memories which may be recalled and enjoyed in years to come. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the work of the yearbook to defray costs, contribute their own creative ideas and wishes, and work collaboratively with the yearbook advisor on the publishing of the yearbook.
 

Academic Decathlon is open to all students. Each year North Reading High School enters the state competition in November and hosts a small schools tournament in February. The team “practices” on a regular basis to prepare for these events. The curriculum, which changes from year to year, is published in May. Consequently, some volunteer summer sessions are held.
 

Students Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.) was established in 1981 in Wayland, Massachusetts. Founded as Students Against Driving Drunk, S.A.D.D. has developed into a national peer education organization. The goal of S.A.D.D. is to positively influence students by having student role models encouraging all students to say “no” not only to drinking, but all destructive decisions. The club meets twice a month and has monthly goals and activities. These goals and activities are centered on educating the entire student population about the dangers of destructive decisions.
 

The Student Leadership Academy and Mentoring program provides students with an opportunity to refine their leadership potential, positively impacting the overall school environment. Students learn about the following topics through their participation in the Student Leadership Academy: Personal Effectiveness, Self-Talk and Attitude, Enhancing Listening Skills, Goal Setting, and Honor and Integrity. Additional objectives of the Student Leadership Academy include elevating students’ leadership skills, fostering a supportive student-to-student environment, building a program that brings teachers and students together in a way that encourages healthy activity and discussion centered on core themes that are essential for building one’s character and a foundation for success, and participating in a student mentoring program.
 

The Eco-Team provides students with an opportunity to create and implement environmentally conscious “action plans.”  Field trips and community service projects outside of the normal school hours provide students with opportunities to demonstrate a commitment to preserving the environment.
 

The Ultimate Frisbee Team is an activity that engages students in this increasingly popular team endeavor. Student participants will play Ultimate Frisbee teams from other, neighboring communities.  
 

The Photography Club provides students with the opportunity to learn more about the art of photography and also to put into practice what they learn through their own photographic work.  The work of the Photography Club will culminate with a display of students’ work both throughout the high school and in the larger community.
 

The Debate Team meets regularly with its faculty advisor to learn and practice the strategies and techniques of effect debate on contemporary, relevant issues of importance.
 

The Chess Club meets weekly throughout the school year.  Participants hone their skills through practice of the game of chess.  Competitions with other area high school Chess Clubs as well as on-line competitions hi-light the Chess Club’s activities.
 

The a capella singing group performs for both school and community activities. Rehearsals are held regularly throughout the school year and may increase given the schedule of performances.
 

The Strings Ensemble provides student violinists, violists, and cellists at the high school with an opportunity to enhance their musical education and to perform as a group.  The Strings Ensemble meets regularly throughout the school year and rehearsals may increase given the schedule of performances.
 

See pages 53-56 of this handbook for a detailed description of the Student Council.
 

The Student Alliance Against Intolerance is a student club that meets regularly to develop programs for the benefit of the entire school community that foster an appreciation of and acceptance of the individual differences that exist in today’s society.
 

The Student Advisory Council to the North Reading School Committee is an elected representation of the student body that meets regularly with the Superintendent of Schools to discuss relevant issues.  Attendance at and presentations to the North Reading School Committee are among the expectations of the elected members of the Student Advisory Council to the North Reading School Committee.
 

Given the interdependence of today’s world it is necessary for us as global citizens to understand all facets of world affairs.~ As such, the Model United Nations Club seeks to educate students and the community about world affairs and the importance they play in our lives today.~ The club meets weekly throughout the first half of the year in preparation to compete in the Academic Worldquest competition sponsored by WorldBoston, the Boston branch of the World Affairs Council. Meetings will allow for an open discussion among students to voice their opinions relating to issues of global concern and will also serve as review sessions for the Academic Worldquest competition. The club will focus on understanding new reports from the previous week and discuss the impact these events may have on students’ lives in the United States as well as the impact these events will have on their lives in the future.~ There will also be an emphasis on understanding the context of global information such as why it is important to know world history, capitals of nations, forms of government, languages, religions, etc. A faculty club organizer will help facilitate instruction by staying updated on the week’s global events.
 

The Student Book Discussion Group will meet monthly in the high school library during Powerblock to discuss the selected books and foster an appreciation and love of literature and reading.  The books read by students will be pre-approved by the school administration.  
 

The International Club is designed to enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of many of the facets of other cultures.  Open to all students, the International Club encourages student involvement in the selection and viewing of foreign films, sampling cuisine, celebrating holidays, participating in cultural games, and experiencing other aspects of other cultures.
 

Members of Adventure Club are invited to participate in a variety of exciting activities including downhill and cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, rock climbing, hiking, kayaking and even indoor sky-diving.  This is an experiential organization whose members believe in taking healthy risks and engaging in challenging activities which improve self-confidence, overall wellness, and a reliance on others and self for success. There is often an additional cost associated with the “adventures” beyond the payment of the requisite extra-curricular activity fee.
 

The Art Club allows students a formal time to meet after school to create artwork in an art studio accompanied by their peers. Students may choose to elaborate on a style that they are experimenting with or develop new artistic ideas with suggested projects. Meetings will consist of creating artwork that students would not normally have a chance to make in art class. Art portfolio students will have an opportunity to work with a professional artist as they build on their work for college submission. The Art Club will host artists from the community to visit and share their work and techniques. The high school Student Art Gallery space will showcase the efforts of the club in a spring art exhibit for the school and the community.
 

The World of Sciences Club is designed to provide students with additional information about science and science careers beyond that which they may learn in science classes. Activities include collaborating with peers and science teachers around pre-determined science topics generated by the participating students to further their study of said topics; assisting peers with their study of science through tutoring during Power Block; preparing for science competitions such as Science Bowl and Science Olympiad; and considering other opportunities to expand science comprehension.
 

The Gay Straight Alliance is open to all students and serves to promote the goals of acceptance for all and to support each other and learn about related issues.
 

The overarching goal of Samantha’s Harvest is to raise awareness and funds for programs and organizations that directly enhance the lives of individuals with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities. The club celebrates inclusion in schools and teaches acceptance. Club members participate in activities which support people with developmental disabilities to validate that they are capable, strong, smart, and independent. The club’s mantra is that together we can make a difference in the world for people with developmental disabilities.
 

The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Chapter at North Reading High School is a registered chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America, a national nonprofit education organization. The mission of FBLA and our local North Reading High School Chapter is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. To uphold this mission, FBLA of North Reading High School works with FBLA of Massachusetts to provide an extracurricular activity where students may become members of FBLA and gain knowledge in the field of business and other related careers. Members will learn about different aspects of business, and then will have the opportunity to compete in an annual statewide competition hosted by FBLA of Massachusetts where, based upon their performance, they may be eligible to proceed to the national level competition and claim a scholarship granted by the FBLA. Members are also presented the opportunity to participate in the annual Massachusetts State Leadership Conference where students will develop leadership skills and networking opportunities.