I need advice about making a club interesting!

Cultural clubs in high school are a tough sell (I was head of both the Poetry club and the Endangered Animal Awareness club. They had the same eight members.). Many, if not most, kids feel like they get enough “learnin’ time” in during school hours, so why should they sign up to learn more for no more credit?

The first thing to do is find the kids that are already interested. What are you doing to advertise the club? Are you buying ad space in the school newspaper? handing out fliers? do you have a commercial on the school news broadcast, or a banner on the school website?

You should let everyone know this is an Ethnic Celebration club, not an extracurricular social studies class. There has to be something happening that they wouldn’t expect, and something that they can relate to. Yes, talking about Scotland’s rich history is nice, but bringing in replica Bronze Age weapons is much better. Everyone likes to play with swords.

You have to kind of take for granted that you’re not likely going to have as many visitors as the Anime club. But, with some good cultural music and interesting exhibits, you could all have a good time.

get to know each other…...what kind of hat, animal would you be?

Turn your Cultural Club into a Cultural FIGHT Club.

As @Seek_Kolinahr reminds us, “Everyone likes to play with swords.”

Toss out a few well cast ethnophaulisms, and I guarantee, lots of peeps will show!

Sometimes it takes doing the same thing a few times so that people know what to expect. If you get the same people coming over and over, and they like it, then ask them to recruit new people. Also, make sure that you are publicizing the club’s activities well in advance so that people have a chance to plan.

I think having ethnic food from the culture you are highlighting at every meeting and advertising it as such might bring in more people. What high school kid isn’t hungry at 3 p.m.?

We have the meetings during lunch.

and yea, We do announce it over the intercom the morning of the meetings!

Hmm…maybe I will find somekind of cool objects to bring in….!! :)

@smile1

The most important aspect of selling anything is advertising. The intercom isn’t enough; as you well know 95% of the students pay absolutely no attention to the morning announcements. You need flyers, word of mouth, posters if your school allows it, anything you can do to assure people know you’re having the meeting. Then, the intercom is a good way to remind your regulars that the meeting is that day.

Do an add on your school announcements that is silly or ridiculous , to attract attention.
Have people pass out flyers during lunch or right before or after school. Always have music, it is a cultural universal. Food too. Do some “ropes” training to break down barriers between others.