In the bustling halls of North High, extracurricular activities have long been a cornerstone of student life, offering avenues for personal growth, leadership, and camaraderie. However, recent trends indicate a worrisome decline in active club participation. This downturn affects the vibrancy of the school’s extracurricular landscape and raises concerns about the holistic development opportunities available to students.
Model UN, renowned for immersing students in global diplomacy and enhancing skills in debate and public speaking, has experienced a significant drop in membership this academic year.
“Model UN taught me more than public speaking—it revealed the delicate balance between leadership and friendship,” Model UN President Ethan Shirazi said. “I learned how to earn respect without losing connection.”
Beyond the club advisor, Ms. Lee expresses disappointment in the membership turnout this year despite what Model UN brings to the high school experience.
“This year, our club has unfortunately seen a steep decline in membership, which is the first I have seen in my 8-year tenure as club advisor,” club advisor Ms. Lee said.
She attributes this trend to the growing number of extracurricular options available at North High.
“I think the amount of clubs available at North High spreads students too thin and makes being a consistent member of clubs challenging,” Ms. Lee said.
Despite these challenges, Mrs. Lee emphasizes the club’s value to students.
“Model UN has a lot to offer,” Lee said. “The art of debate and public speaking and being able to work with people who both disagree and agree with you are valuable assets that can be applied to any other club or endeavor at North High, as well as college and job interview processes and beyond.”

Members, too, agree that the club is invaluable to student success beyond the résumé.
“Model UN has dramatically helped my public speaking skills and debate skills and has helped me think on the spot,” sophomore Aliza Sadykov said.
Similarly, DECA, a club dedicated to preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management, has faced its own set of challenges.  Although membership hasn’t declined as in Model UN, the leadership of DECA claim that active involvement is diminishing.
“We now see fewer students attending the weekly DECA meetings…doing practice role plays [and] studying for the DECA Test,” club advisor Mr. Marchese said. “It seems our students have not taken to heart just how important competition preparation is.”

Nonetheless, DECA brings a lot to students in terms of career readiness and interpersonal skills.
“DECA will help prepare students to develop important skill sets they will need to be successful in their future,” Mr. Marchese said. “I have seen students who, as freshmen, were very introverted, shy, and kept mostly to themselves [but] after being in DECA for four years, these same shy freshmen left high school as higher-performing and more confident seniors.”
Many members recognize the value of high school clubs, but blame the education system for not being able to pursue genuine passions.
“Unless you’re going into business, you may never need to know what a target market is, but DECA gives you the ability to generate ideas under pressure and communicate them effectively is invaluable,” junior Julian Elihu said.
The decline in club participation at Great Neck North mirrors a broader national trend. A study by the Oak Park Talon revealed that out of 91 clubs from the previous school year, only 24 continued, with the average club losing 43% of its members during the first quarter alone. Factors contributing to this decline include an overabundance of extracurricular options leading to student overextension, shifting interests, and the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on student engagement.
The implications of dwindling club memberships are multifaceted. Extracurricular activities like Model UN and DECA are instrumental in fostering essential life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and effective communication. A decrease in participation may limit students’ opportunities to cultivate these competencies, potentially impacting their preparedness for future academic and professional endeavors.
​In an effort to boost attendance, many high school clubs have turned to offering free food during meetings. While this strategy often succeeds in attracting students, it frequently results in members whose primary interest lies more in the refreshments than in the club’s core activities or mission. This approach can lead to superficial engagement, which undermines the club’s objectives and diminishes the overall quality of participation.

But the real danger is what North High’s club participation reflects about college admissions and their effect on students. The intense pressure to build an impressive extracurricular portfolio has led some students to join clubs not out of genuine interest but as a means to enhance their résumés. In fact, during the club fair at the beginning of the year, club leadership often advertises the value that joining can bring to a college application. This trend fosters a culture of disingenuous involvement, where the depth of experience is sacrificed for the breadth of activities, devaluing club experience.

​The decline in club participation at North High reflects a broader trend that affects schools across the country, where students often join organizations to enhance their college applications rather than out of genuine interest. This shift not only diminishes the vibrancy and effectiveness of these clubs but also deprives students of the meaningful experiences that extracurricular activities can offer. To address this, it’s essential for both students and educators to foster a culture that values authentic engagement over mere résumé building. By encouraging participation driven by passion and curiosity, we can revitalize school clubs, providing enriching opportunities that benefit the entire student body. When students are truly invested in their extracurricular pursuits, they not only enhance their personal growth but also contribute to a more dynamic and thriving school community, and that’s what school is meant to facilitate.