ANNOUNCEMENT READERS:
Each year, 5 Senior announcement readers are selected for the school year to read daily announcements on the PA. This is by Principal invite only. Seniors who have interest can reach out to Ms. Powers. Senior announcement readers have already been selected for the 24-25 school year.
DEBATE TEAM:
Debate is a competitive team that participates in the West Michigan Debate League and the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association. We combine critical thinking with building confidence in oral communication. There are many different formats of debating; we participate in Congressional Debate in which we participate as members of Congress who write bills to enact into law, write speeches to defend the passing of the bills, and answer questions by fellow Congressmen. The Debate Team begins in September and ends with state competition in December. Research has indicated that students participating in Debate consistently score higher on SAT and ACT tests than those who don't and provides a perfect platform for demonstrating a well-rounded student that appeals to college admissions. See Mrs. Simmons with interest.
ESPORTS TEAM:
Esports is an online gaming club. We are members of the Southwestern Michigan Esports League, which is run by Berrien Resa. The participants can decide if they would like to play Valorant or Rocket League. Which game we choose to play will depend on the number of members and what game they prefer to play. We meet twice a week, one day to practice and one day to play other schools. We treat this as a sport, so students participating must be academically and behaviorally eligible. Yes, I do ask Mrs. Tyler for an eligibility report. See Mrs. Overacker at the MS for more information.
FRESHMEN MENTORS:
Each year, the Principal invites current Sophomores and Juniors to serve as Freshmen mentors for the annual August Freshmen Orientation Day (the following year). Students are selected based on GPA and behavior. The Principal invites students to this team each May. If you have interest at the end of your 10th or 11th grade year, reach out to Ms. Powers. The event requires students to be trained and facilitate Freshmen Orientation on a day before the start of the school year. Mentors can serve as both Juniors and Seniors, consecutively. Ms. Powers is still in search of junior and senior mentors for the 24-25 school year.
INTERACT CLUB:
Interact is a service organization sponsored by the Paw Paw Lake Rotary Club. The team completes multiple service projects each year. Membership includes both middle school and high school students. Members are required to attend regular meetings and complete service projects outside of school. Club officers are 8th graders. Members consist of 7th -12th graders. See Ms. Powers if you are interested in joining the team.
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY:
The National Honor Society gives special recognition to students who have distinguished themselves in the four areas of scholarship, leadership, character, and service. The purpose of NHS is to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to encourage the development of character. New members (students going to be JUNIORS and SENIORS for the following school year) are chosen each spring by a committee of five faculty members. The selection committee chooses new members based on the above mentioned areas.
Requirements for consideration for membership in WHS NHS are:
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 is required to apply for NHS
Minimum of 20 hours of community service is required. Ten hours may be affiliated with Watervliet Public Schools, with 10 hours being served in the community.
Letter from the organization to provide community service hours with is required for verification of hours. It must be on organization letterhead and from someone OUTSIDE of your family. It must state hours served and description of volunteer services. This letter must accompany your application.
All applications MUST be filled out COMPLETELY for consideration. If the application is not fully completed, your essay will not be read. Sections 1, 2, and 3 are required for a complete application.
Acceptable community service examples are: mentoring, church and youth groups, homeless shelter, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, serving food at American Legion, hospital volunteer, unpaid coaching or refereeing, bingo at a nursing home, etc. If you have questions regarding hours and types of community service, bring those questions to the NHS Adviser.
Must be involved in at least two school activities.
Membership is based on NHS four criteria of Academic Achievement, Character, Leadership and Service.
ANY violation of the Student Handbook or Athletic Code may prohibit you from being inducted into NHS.
See Mrs. Dawson or Mrs. O’Toole if you have any questions.
PBIS TEAM: On the last Monday of each month at 3:15 PM, a team of teachers, parents, and students meet to review and building upon the Tier 1 PBIS plan, PBIS is Positive behavior Interventions and Supports and refers to our expectations matrix, caught in the act tickets, student of the month program, and other initiatives associated with positive school culture and climate. Students at any grade level can serve. Reach out to Ms. Powers if you have interest. Ms. Powers is still in search of PBIS team members for the 24-25 school year.
ROBOTICS:
High School Robotics is a club that will meet periodically throughout the year until the season officially starts. The season starts at the beginning of the year and runs until mid April. Robotics involves planning, design, building, electronics, engineering, marketing, coding, and operating a robot that accomplishes specific tasks. There are 2 regional competitions and if you finish with enough points, you are invited to attend the state competition. You will work with power tools Attendance is mandatory and usually meets 2-4 times each week and several Saturdays to ensure the robot is ready for the start of the season. Marketing involves getting sponsorships and fundraising and promoting the team.
SAC (STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE PRINCIPAL):
This is an advisory council that meets with Ms. Powers every other week on Wednesdays at 7:30 AM. Volunteers are taken each year in May for the following school year. If more than 4 students at any grade level volunteer, the students in that class vote for their 4 representatives. Sixteen total students make up the team annually. Meetings are used to review school policies and practices. The team makes suggestions and puts plans in place to improve any and all aspects of high school life. Students can serve on the team for more than one year if interested/elected. All of the student leadership positions for the 24-25 school year have been filled.
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD:
Students have the opportunity to explore topics that often they would not experience in their normal school day. For some activities, the experience is very “hands-on”, as students create designs, solve problems and learn the importance of teamwork. Science Olympiad activities culminate in a tournament, which adds the excitement of competition. In each of the High School divisions, there are 23 separate events in which a student may participate. A tournament is like a track meet, so an individual student should expect to compete in several different events. Those events range from anatomy to astrophysics to aeronautics. See Dr. Mosher if you are interested.
STUDENT COUNCIL:
The Watervliet High School Student Council is the elected student government that is the main voice of the student body recognized by the faculty and administration. They coordinate all student activities. Committees are formed to facilitate Homecoming, Winterfest, Red Ribbon and Teacher Appreciation Weeks, and other activities for which this student group has responsibility. The Student Council is responsible for promoting school spirit through Spirit Weeks. Students must show exemplary citizenship, possess a good work ethic, have a willingness to work well with others, and participate in all activities including the annual fundraiser. See Mrs. Richcreek or Mrs. Tyler with questions.
STUDENT OF THE MONTH BREAKFAST KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
Each month, Ms. Powers seeks out a Senior student who is able and willing to speak at the monthly Student of the Month Breakfast to parents and students. Students write a speech about themselves, their activities and involvements, speak at the event and provide advice and leadership to younger Panthers. If you have interest in speaking, please reach out to Ms. Powers.
