As students are getting more adjusted to the 2022-2023 school year, FHS’ GSA club, aka Gay Straight Alliance club, will be meeting every other Thursday, from 3pm to 4pm. in the library makerspace.

Mr. Hayfield, one of the high school’s history teachers, is the main coordinator for the GSA. He has been teaching for approximately 22 years and encourages students to form their own opinions and advocates stepping away from what the text says.

“There is no such thing as the same human,” Mr. Hayfield states. “Opinions make us human, so forming your own makes you human.”

With a wider variety of school clubs, more students are able to feel more comfortable in school. They feel empowered by finding where they belong.

“Clubs can help students find people with similar interests or styles,” freshman Elaena Smith says.

If students do not feel comfortable with themselves in schools, they may start feeling insecure in their abilities, draining their mental health. In a poll of 100 students that attend FHS, 63 of those students claimed they felt some sort of discomfort regarding their physical appearance; while 24 of those students mentioned they were bullied.

“Students who had difficulty completing their schoolwork experienced higher levels of emotional abuse by a parent, parental job loss, and hunger. These disruptions and adverse experiences threaten adolescents’ health and safety in addition to acting as barriers to learning,” a study by the CDC reports.

In school clubs, students can find solidarity in those around them, make friends, and boost their morale.

“We’re trying to foster a whole student, not just an academic student,” Mr. Hayfield states. “People outside of the high school probably don’t realize how many different things we offer. There’s a place for everyone in this school. We offer a lot, and I’m proud of that.”