EHS students can take part in various clubs, organizations

By Anastasia Harbuck

Published: July 28, 2008

According to club sponsor Ralph Wooten, the Eufaula High School Key Club is all about encouraging students’ responsibility to their community.
“What makes Key Club so successful is the fact that it is a student-led organization that teaches leadership through serving others,” Wooten stated in a recent e-mail interview.
Wooten has been the EHS Key Club sponsor for three years, following former sponsor John Savage. He says that Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for high school students, but it isn’t the only club at Eufaula High School.
EHS students have a wide variety of clubs and organizations to choose from depending on their tastes and interests. Career-related organizations like DECA, FBLA, FFA and HOSA are offered at Eufaula High School. EHS counselor Courtney Hinton says that many students are pursuing career-related clubs that cater to their interests.
“I would say that DECA, FFA, and HOSA are all very popular clubs,” said Hinton. “DECA has been (here) for as long as I can remember, but HOSA has gained popularity over the last couple of years.”
Other clubs like the French, Latin, Spanish and Drama Club take classroom skills a step further while National Honor Society, Student Government Association and Tiger Reps give students the chance to be positive role models for fellow students and ambassadors for their school. Other clubs at EHS include Fellowship of Christian Athletes (sponsor John Gilmore), Leo Club (Alexandra Conniff) and Skills USA (Andrea Tew). Other club sponsors include Tim Klages (DECA), Catherine Thomas (French and Latin Clubs), Buster Padgett (FFA), Allison Mitchell (FBLA), Christy Bush (HOSA), Lori Williams (National Honor Society), Angela Johnson (Spanish Club), Lori Holland (SGA), Kay Whaley (Tiger Reps) and Mitzi Yarbrough (Drama Club).
Wooten, meanwhile, says that the EHS Key Club had 20 members last year and is hopeful of a strong roster this upcoming year.
He says Key Club members are devoted to providing community service.
“Members of the Kiwanis International family, Key Club members build themselves as they build their schools and communities,” said Wooten. “In the past we have participated in Pilgrimage, Adopt-A-Mile, (preparing) Thanksgiving meals for the needy and Christmas gifts for needy children.”
During the past year, Wooten says the Key Club participated in Pilgrimage, fundraisers for Christmas gifts to be given to the needy and the Kiwanis Club’s Radio Day. Wooten adds that Key Club membership is open to anyone interested.
“Anyone who will commit to actively participating in the projects … is eligible for membership,” said Wooten.