As the school year begins, so do the countless involvement opportunities at Neuqua Valley. But with the overwhelming amount of activities Neuqua graciously has to offer, it can be hard to figure out which one is the best fit for you, and it can even be a challenge to know of a club’s existence. This year, new resources have been created to help Neuqua students find a sense of belonging at their school.
Margarita Altidis has stepped up as the first assistant activities director at Neuqua Valley and has worked to update and create easy-access sources that contain information about all activities, ensuring everyone finds a community. When talking about her new role, Altidis said, “I think that a position like this thinks about the opportunities to get people engaged at school that’s not just academics. We know that when students like and feel connected to their school they will naturally do better in their classes and they want to participate in more things.”
The revamped Neuqua activities website is efficient in its organization and is purposed to be an easily accessible site containing information about every activity. It breaks all clubs into four sections: communities, competitive, special interest, and honors society. From there, students are able to select a list that interests them, opening further information about activities falling under that category. Not only are students able to see the various activities with the click of a button, but they are also able to see important deadlines such as join dates. Thorough descriptions of each activity are provided as well, giving students the chance to peruse through the endless selection of engagement opportunities to find a community that best suits them.
For students looking to directly contact activity sponsors, Altidis has worked to create a sponsor roster which can be found under the contact tab on the website. This easily accessible spreadsheet contains email information of all sponsors regarding all clubs and activities. The website also provides freshmen extra information they may need. Under the Freshmen FAQ tab, many useful tips regarding getting involved at Neuqua are provided to ensure that joining an activity is a stress-free experience for all. According to Altidis, one of the website’s most notable features is the Activity Interest Form. This allows students a laid-back way to select interests in clubs and activities, notifying sponsors of the interested students. Sponsors will be able to reach out to students to get them roped into their club.
Social media is the gateway of communication and information for high school students. Altidis has also created a Neuqua activities Instagram profile which updates students on club meetings happening each day. It is a quick and easy way to see what’s up in the Neuqua extracurricular community, and to know of important upcoming events. There’s no doubt the Instagram page is alive and consistent with its updates. “Every night I look to see what clubs post and I make sure to reshare it on the Instagram for students to see,” Altidis said.
The website and Instagram are two resources that will undoubtedly get students aware and involved at Neuqua. According to Altidis, “I think school is about fun, but its also about community and finding your people, and that’s an important part of being a highschooler.” Visit http://neuquaactivities.org/ and follow @neuquaactivities on instagram to find out more about all of the wonderful clubs Neuqua has to offer.
