Ludlow High School

SECTION VI - STUDENT ACTIVITIES

American Red Cross	Environmental Science Club	Ping Pong Club
As Schools Match Wits	Gay/Straight Alliance	Puzzle Club
Auditorium Use	Graduation	S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
Class Activities	HARC	School Newspaper (The Cub)
Class Officers	Jazz Ensemble	Science Club
Color Guard	Mathematics Team	Spanish Club
Debate Team	Mock Trial Team	Student Advisory Board
Drama Fiefdom at Ludlow Public Schools	Mural (Art) Club	Student Council
Eligibility for Clubs/Organizations	Photography Club	Yearbook

SCOPE, DEFINITION, AND ELIGIBILITY

ELIGIBILITY

In order to remain eligible for all co-curricular activities, a student must pass all five-credit courses (or 2.5 credits per semester course). Students may apply to the Athletic Director and Assistant Principal for a waiver by completing and submitting a waiver form after report cards are issued. The waiver process only applies to students with a single "F" on their report card, and only one waiver will be granted during a student's entire high school career. Waiver forms are available in and must be returned to the main office.

Eligibility will be determined by the preceding term's grades.

Eligibility for the following school year's fall sports will be determined by the preceding year's final grade as per MIAA rule 58.1.

Available funding determines the school's ability to run our extracurricular programs. This total program is under the direct supervision of the school's assistant principal, who retains and works with advisors and administrates student participation. While participation in student activities is encouraged, it is not guaranteed by law or school policy. Extracurricular activities include:

Athletics, As Schools Match Wits, Cheerleaders, Class Executive Board, Class Officers, Color Guard, Debate Team, Drama Club, French Club, Intramurals, Jazz Ensemble, Math Team, Mural (Art) Club, Peer Education, S.A.D.D. (students against destructive decisions), Senior Assembly, Senior Show, Spanish Club, Student Advisory Council, Student Council, the Cub (school newspaper), Student Advisory Board, Talent Shows, and Yearbook.

Prerequisites for participation on these co curricular activities include: students must be in compliance with the school's academic eligibility policy (see page 42) and must also be in good standing with the administration. Suspensions, excessive detentions, poor attendance, failure to return official school forms, and behavior are all factors in determining "good standing."

In addition, students must have filled out, signed, and returned all official school forms, emergency contact form and health history update forms.

Any student who becomes ineligible by virtue of incomplete grades shall not be allowed to practice, participate, or compete in any co curricular activity. Students who fulfill the requirements necessary to receive a final grade within two weeks will have their eligibility restored. Students receiving multiple incomplete grades due to a long term illness will be allowed the necessary time to fulfill requirements for a final grade but will remain ineligible until the final grade is submitted.

In the case of those student athletes who have lost their eligibility, their names will be removed from the team roster by the coach and athletic director.

Clubs

AMERICAN RED CROSS

This is a volunteer organization affiliated with the National Chapter of the Red Cross. The Ludlow High School Chapter raises money and performs community service projects that benefit the local community.

AS SCHOOLS MATCH WITS

This program involves participation in television station Channel 22's long-standing "As Schools Match Wits" Saturday evening game show. A 4-student team travels to Channel 22 in Agawam to compete against area high schools in answering questions from a wide variety of categories, though usually of an academic nature. A team must win 3 consecutive matches in order to qualify for the playoffs. Channel 22 tapes and airs the competitions later in the school year. The program is open to students from all classes and is determined by the advisor after a written test is administered to interested students.

CLASS ACTIVITIES

In order to participate in class wide activities, i.e. class trips, banquets, etc., students, who are retained, must meet the following standard to be considered a:

Sophomore-have passed 25 credits
Junior-have passed 50 credits
Senior-have passed 71 credits & carrying 31 credits
Totaling 102 credits.

NOTE: Students can participate in activities (providing they are eligible) designed for their current class status. This means that if you have fewer than 50 credits, you are considered a sophomore and can participate in grade 10 events such as class trips, class banquets, or class elections. Please remember that only grade 11 and 12 students can purchase Prom tickets, and only grade 11 students can actively participate in Senior Assembly.

CLASS OFFICERS

Class officers are elected. There is no guarantee that any class officer is entitled to speak at graduation or any other assembly. The administration, along with class advisors, will make the final decisions as to assembly speakers.

COLOR GUARD

Students participating in Color Guard perform at Ludlow High School football halftime shows with the band. Color Guard will accompany band perform in parades and performances. The group meets once or twice a week after school for 1-2 hours each practice one-month before each event. It is important, but not mandatory, that new members attend color Guard Camp for 3 days in August.

DEBATE TEAM

This program is designed to sharpen students' debate and public speaking skills through competition with area high schools. Each year, a single "hot" issue is selected for debate (e.g. capital punishment, health care reform. immigration restriction) and a proposal for a change in the law is suggested. A 4-8 student team travels to area high schools to debate the issue via presentation of short speeches and subsequent cross-examination. Effective debaters should be adept at researching the issue, presenting their ideas clearly, and thinking on their feet. The program is open to students from all classes.

DRAMA FIEFDOM AT LUDLOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

This is an extracurricular activity open to all students. It is a HUGE commitment. The Fiefdom will present a fall play, a night of one-act plays in the winter, and a spring musical. In addition, one of the plays featured during the night of one-cats will be entered into the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild Festival each year. At the Festival, plays compete to advance to the next round; plays and actors also compete for awards. Fiefdom members can act or work on the crew.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CLUB

This club is open to all students who have an interest in our environment. The goal of this is to bring awareness of our fragile environment to young adults in hopes they will work together to protect both our school and community's natural resources. Students will actively participate in recycle programs and learn about conservation.

GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE

This group will meet once or twice a month to discuss issues and have fun. This club is for any students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, curious or just open minded and wants to improve their lives and lives of their classmates,

GRADUATION

All students who meet the graduation requirements of LHS will receive a diploma or certificate of completion. The graduation ceremony is traditionally where diplomas are awarded; however, students are not required to participate in this ceremony. Also, any student who is suspended or has financial obligations (owes money for lost school materials) is not allowed to participate in this ceremony. Students not receiving their diplomas at the graduation ceremony may obtain the diploma on the Monday following graduation. Graduation is a formal affair. No decoration other than National Honor Society stoles and pins are acceptable unless cleared by the principal. No painted or tie-dyed caps will be allowed.

ARCH BEARERS-Any student who has been assigned 3 or more hours of office detention (for behavior-related issues) during the course of the year, may not be allowed to have his/her name placed on the ballot.

HARC (The Human and Animal Rights Coalition)

This club works to draw attention to human rights abuse world wide and to illustrate the benefits of an animal friendly world, working directly with Amnesty International, MSPA, PETA, and others. HARC encourages students to become more actively involved in the world around them.

JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Students who play piano, drum set, bass guitar, guitar, trumpet, saxophone, or trombone are eligible to participate in the Jazz Ensemble. Students are taught the basic stylistic and theoretical aspects of performing in the jazz/rock idiom.

MATHEMATICS TEAM

The Mathematics Team competes 5 times per year at various area high schools. Any high school student is eligible to join the team; however, those with a strong mathematical background are most likely to be successful. Questions are selected from the following 6 areas:

Arithmetic and Number Theory
Algebra I
Plane Geometry
Algebra II
Coordinate Geometry
Trigonometry and Complex Numbers

MOCK TRIAL TEAM

This is a program sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association in which students assume the roles of lawyers and witnesses, trying fictitious cases in actual courtrooms in Hampden County. The Mock Trial team of 12 members competes against other schools during January, February, and March, and the winners go on to state competition in Boston in April. Although membership is limited, sophomores, juniors, and seniors with an interest in law and the criminal justice system are encouraged to audition for the team.

MURAL (ART) CLUB

This club is dedicated to bringing visual enhancement through representational and decorative murals (painting on walls).

Membership is limited, but is open to all members of the Ludlow High School student body with an interest in art. Organizational meetings occur weekly to establish projects. Meetings are then held on an "as needed" basis.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

This club is dedicated to providing a basic knowledge of Black and White Photography and the proper use of the Darkroom and its equipment. Membership is very limited, but is open to all members of the Ludlow High student body with interest in the art of photography.

PING PONG CLUB

This club is for students who love to play ping pong. Students meet once a week.

PUZZLE CLUB

This club is for all who have ever been interested in puzzles and brainteasers. This includes sudoku; disassemble puzzles, and anything that is brought in by the members. This club is for all who have ever wondered what the secret is to solving the Rubic's Cube. Here is your chance to learn how to do it.

S.A.D.D. (STUDENTS AGAINST DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS)

The purpose of S.A.D.D. is to increase student awareness of the serious impact of alcohol related deaths and accidents involving their friends and families. Part of the national S.A.D.D. organization, the Ludlow High chapter is open to all high school students and meets about once a month after school. S.A.D.D activities include educational speakers, assistance with the D.A.R.E. program, cooperation with the middle school teacher, participation in S.A.D.D. week and in the annual health fair. In conjunction with the junior class, a message from S.A.D.D. is included with the prom favors each year.

SCHOOL NEWSPAPER (THE CUB)

The school newspaper The Cub is published monthly throughout the school year. It is written and edited primarily by students taking Journalism II although any student may submit articles, editorial cartoons, or photographs for consideration. The Cub is self-supporting through the sale of advertising space, the newspaper itself, and other items such as flowers. Every year The Cub submits entries to regional school newspaper contests and consistently wins awards.

Before graduation the senior staff members of The Cub compile the wills and prophecies from their classmates. These are printed along with the class poem and photographs of the winners of the class ballot in a publication called the Senior Valedictory. It is distributed to all graduating seniors and sold to interested people.

SCIENCE CLUB

This club will explore science concepts beyond the everyday curriculum. Students will create and present projects in a science fair setting.

SPANISH CLUB

This club is for all interested in the Spanish language and culture. Participants of the club also do volunteer work.

STUDENT COUNCIL

The Student Council consists of the four class officers from each class and four at-large elected representatives from each class. The student council runs elections for the school and ensures that the school constitution is followed. All student activities including fundraisers must have the approval of the Student Council which meets at least twice a month. The executive board of the Student Council consists of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and the captain of patrol who appoints and oversees the entire student patrol.

STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

Two students from any grade are chosen each April to meet with other student representatives from area schools to discuss common needs. Meetings are held monthly at the Massachusetts Department of Education. Expenses for gas usage and meals are reimbursed by the principal.

An announcement will be made for those who are interested to respond.

YEARBOOK

The Yearbook Club is open to all students, grades 9-12. Its purpose is to produce a school yearbook which is sold to interested students, faculty, and parents. It is a fall yearbook which means that it contains a major section with senior week activities. Formal meetings are held as needed after school, but work sessions are ongoing since yearbook production is very time consuming. The yearbook editors are trained at summer institute and at day workshops. The yearbook is funded through advertising, yearbook sales, and the senior class treasury.

AUDITORIUM USE

Fee schedule as per school committee policy.