Every Thursday from 10:06-11:18 am, one can find the majority of Olathe East’s students spread throughout the school’s classrooms, gymnasiums, and theaters. A few play board games, others rigorously plan volunteer opportunities, and some spend their morning in prayer. Over thirty clubs and organizations now call Olathe East home. Some, such as Drama Club or KAY Club, are generally well known to students and staff alike. However, the unique groups The Perspective, the Wildlife Club, and Life 101 truly deserve magnified attention.

Nearly all students desire a creative outlet to express themselves fully and freely. Little do many of East’s attendees know, that outlet resides right in their own backyard in the form of The Perspective – a literary magazine founded by seniors Claire Mitchell and Felice Peñas, and junior Hannah Goldberg.

“We wanted to write and talk about what matters, so we created The Perspective. Part of it is to engage students with the world, to share critical and global issues and make this information accessible to other students, and part of it is just a place for students to share what they’re passionate about. We just care a lot, and we know other students do too. We want to reach out to people through this,” Mitchell said.

The three girls brought this artistic platform to East at the beginning of this school year. With a small staff of eight zealous students, the magazine has been thriving ever since.

“Anyone interested can submit writing, art, or photography to be reviewed and potentially featured in our magazine. The purpose of The Perspective is to introduce new ideas and points of view to our peers as well as people outside of the East community. We really welcome anyone who is interested,” Mitchell said.

The Wildlife Club holds the title of another one of Olathe East’s underrated organizations. The club’s members work tirelessly to preserve our magnificent planet and help out all who inhabit it.

“Wildlife Club is a club where we preserve [the lives of] animals, and we help to give them better habitats than they have right now. We just save as many animals as we can,” member Noah Wayne said.

“The mission [of the club] is to increase appreciation for wildlife through education, restoration, and conversation of habitats and wildlife,” club sponsor Ms. Josie Stiles said.

She and Ms. Tiffany Richards have been the sponsors for OEWC since its inception two years ago.

While most of their humanitarian work happens on school grounds, many Wildlife Club members take their passions for the environment to the outside world.

“We have a team in our club that plans field trips, and some of the people in the club just went to Cedar Cove (a non-profit organization in Louisburg, Kansas devoted to the care and preservation of endangered large cats). They helped clear cattails from the pond out there,” Wayne said.

With roughly 50 students involved, room 106 rarely sees a lack of enthusiasm or assistance. In fact, a couple of the group’s core attributes stand out within the exciting Wildlife Club adventures.

“My favorite thing about the club is the ideas and the determination of the students that are there. They really love animals and want to help them,” Wayne said.

If you’re looking for a reason to join Wildlife Club, look no further than the future of our own environment.

“If you want future generations to have the same outdoor experiences available to them, come be a part of a voice that advocates to protect wildlife,” Stiles said.

While serving others no doubt constitutes as a noble activity, students must also remember the necessity of caring for themselves.

High school, though a place of passion, creativity, and community, harbors copious amounts of peer pressure, sometimes leading to dangerous decisions. Olathe East’s Life 101 club dedicates their time to avoiding these fallbacks and helps students excel in that very subject: life.

“The purpose of the group is to provide support and information on issues relevant in the life of teens, with the ultimate goal being to live a healthy and joyful life without substances. In the past this has been a really positive place for kids to connect and learn to manage life,” club sponsor Tammy Robinette said.

Open to any and every student, Life 101 has been district-wide for the past ten years.

With the extensive amount and wide variety of clubs that Olathe East offers, every student possesses the opportunity to find a place where they belong. Whether discussing teenage struggles, writing epic poetry or saving wildlife, your newest niche could be right around the corner.

Mikie Brown // Staff Writer