Helix has 47 clubs currently active on campus. With a new school year comes the introduction of new Helix Clubs and the continuation of many. I reached out to the presidents of four clubs to see what they are all about.
First, we have CEOs United, a new business club run by senior, Aleece Cluer. She created the club to provide a space “where everyone could thrive and display their entrepreneurial spirit.” They will be starting a business from the ground up. During a typical meeting, they discuss product creation, selling events and marketing. In the future, they plan to have business leaders come in and talk about their success to students. Members of the club will gain general entrepreneurial experience and community service hours can be earned through meetings pertaining to club business and sales events. Want to join? They meet on Tuesdays during lunch in room 240.
Next, we have the new Law Club. This club started thanks to the College and Career Center Counselor, Ms. Morgan. Last year, she organized for current USD law students to come to Helix and after seeing the large amount of interest, she took down names of people who were interested in starting a Law Club. She allowed for a preliminary meeting to be held in the College Center where Sammantha Luevano and Shaylene Mendoza became the co-presidents. Luevano has always been interested in law and felt the need to create a club that would have a lasting effect on younger classmates. During regular law club meetings, members will be learning about careers in the legal field through presentations, guest speakers, and field trips. Mendoza already has plans for the club to visit with legal professionals at the El Cajon courthouse and USD legal clinic. Anyone interested in law is welcome. Sound interesting? They meet on Mondays at lunch in the ASB room (1200). 
Helix Contemporary Club is not an official club yet, but president Tristan Bagula is in the middle of getting it started right now. Meetings will consist of a presentation and description of current events ranging from social issues like LGBTQ rights and hate crime, geopolitics like the current terrorism in Lebanon and Israeli attack on Gaza, and other miscellaneous federal affairs. Bagula wishes to “make it a place for active discussion where people can deliver their opinions and discuss/potentially argue in a proper fashion.” There will be no requirements to join and the advisor will be Mrs. Gharib-Thedell. The current plan is for meetings to be held on Mondays at lunch in room 60. They will soon be creating an Instagram account and mailing list as well.
Clubs may come and go at Helix, but the Environmental Club and NHS are some of the longest lasting. I have found records of them from 2016, but they are likely even older.
The Environmental Club has been around Helix since the 90s but former president Hayley Kay brought it back. To start off each unique meeting, the club officers will introduce weekly good news on environmental issues and the topic of the week. Then, they will hear from a guest speaker or do an activity. They aim for their “club meetings [to] be a safe space for all students to relax, hang out, and learn about sustainability.” There are no requirements to join the club and they offer snacks, community service, and soon merch as incentives for joining the club. Want to help improve Helix’s environment? They meet every other Tuesday at lunch in room 410.
The National Honors Society (or NHS) is an organization that recognizes academic students who excelled in leadership and character and reaches beyond Helix. Their meetings are pretty simple; board members will advertise local scholarships and opportunities for their members to better themselves and their community. The President, Mac Jarman, says that meetings are “very comfortable and we always extend ourselves to questions or support we can provide to our members.” There are three requirements to join: members must be a sophomore, junior or senior; they need an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher; and they must display themselves as active members in whatever communities they’re a part of. While this club has the most requirements, there are equally as many benefits. According to Jarman, “Being an NHS member displays a prestigious recognition of personal excellence, which is a great resume and college application benefit. Being a member also provides access to the NHS scholarship, which awards over $2 million in scholarships annually, as well as many external scholarships that give preference to NHS members as it’s a sign of a well-rounded student.” Do you enjoy supporting your community? They meet on Fridays during lunch in room 1300.
