ASB Brings on the School Spirit
The Associated Student Body (ASB) meets period three every day in Room 202 to help plan school-related events and support UC High.
October 28, 2022
Creative posters, engaging school activities, and meticulous planning. What can UC High’s Associated Student Body (ASB) not do? Recently, it seems as if the sky’s the limit for the school organization. ASB’s efforts have been recognized throughout the whole campus, with the hard work put in by a handful of the elective’s members making many of this school year’s highlights possible.
ASB takes on heavy tasks such as dances, school spirit, fundraisers, and a whole lot more. ASB Advisor Samantha Cruz said, “ASB represents motivation, spirit, equity, and inclusion. The main thing we have to do is promote and maintain school spirit. It is up to us to make [the students on campus] feel that everyone belongs, which is difficult as we have many different communities on campus.”
These duties go far from unnoticed by the school’s students, who value the thought and effort put into these events. Sophomore Allie Podhorsky expressed that she personally felt like Homecoming was so creative that it felt like it was held at a venue rather than just the school’s gym. She said, “I liked how the decor [put up by ASB] gave Homecoming a magical atmosphere.”
Not only do these events hype up the standard school day, but school spirit provided by ASB is actually believed to be linked to a more positive school atmosphere and better student performance in academics. The Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) conducted a survey amongst high school students, parents, and principals and it showed that students with higher school morale are more socially and civically engaged (cas.casciac.org).
However, being in ASB brings many responsibilities. Fundraisers are a necessary component to the myriad of activities that take place at the school. Junior Class Vice President Ashley Garcia said, “ASB is a group of students who put together fundraisers to support school-wide activities and bring up the school spirit on campus, in addition to bringing the collective culture and scholars together. I mostly focus on raising money for the junior’s Prom, which is going to be in 2024, due to the necessity of money to having a fun Prom.”
Responsibilities are split up among the members, typically with consideration of the position the student holds. The process of creating and developing clubs on campus, for one, requires impressive organization. Clubs Commissioner Junior Camille Barrera said, “First, I work with the rest of ASB to make sure clubs are approved. Holding the position of club officer in ASB, I have to go through each and every club, see if their paperwork is filled out correctly, and then organize them in alphabetical order. After I file through each club, I then input them into a spreadsheet, double-check that each position of their constitution is properly filled out, and make sure each and every required signature is there.”
As well as organizing the various clubs led by students, Barrera oversees the multiple club events on campus. She continued, “I organize Club Rush and Multicultural Fair to make sure no one just shows up with a table and claim a random club. For this year, we are being adamant about stricter deadlines which will help promote organization and make sure Club Rush, Multicultural Fair, and individual fundraisers for each club go as planned.” Personal Growth Club Founder Sophomore Maneli Rezaei-Sarraf said, “I found that the club paperwork created by ASB was pretty easy and smooth to complete. [The process of creating a club] was tons of fun.”
With everything ASB has the responsibility of managing, they are doing a great job. Be sure to swing by the program’s room 202 to thank them for their diligence towards keeping the school an enjoyable place, because a word of acknowledgement always goes a long way.
