Walpole High School has a club for everything, ranging from academic-based clubs to clubs promoting school spirit and leadership. With about 30 different clubs, the student body is provided with many different ways to become or remain active in the school. Over the years, however, many clubs have been reformed or even cut due to budget constraints.
After the 2011-2012 school year, the Spanish Club and the French Club were dropped from the International Club —an umbrella organization that houses foreign language clubs including the French Club, the German Club, the Latin Club, and the Spanish Club. But as of the start of this school year, the French and Spanish Club have returned, and they are bigger and better than ever.
The International club is intended for students to expand on the language and experience worldly cultures inside and outside of the classroom. Each language club meets separately throughout the year where students participate in numerous different activities that focus on enhancing their learning and appreciation for the language and the culture. The clubs also group together and celebrate the international culture as a whole. In the past, the International club has held a range of activities: some held in the building, such as scavenger hunts or trivia, and others held in locations outside of Walpole, such as dinner and activities in the city.
The French Club is run by Madame Kathleen Frattasio, who has been teaching French for 26 years at various levels, along with Senior students Doug Stewart, Rachel Harris, and Rory Hardiman. “We are very excited about the amount of interest students have shown so far,” said Frattasio. Frattasio and the head students have planned a very promising year with numerous valuable cultural experiences including visits to French restaurants, the Museum of Fine Arts and a French Library in Boston, as well as Mardi Gras festivities.
The Spanish club ran for many years headed by Señor Richard Sturges, who is very dedicated to the Spanish program at Walpole High. He has been teaching Spanish at Walpole for eleven years and recently decided to devote time to the Costa Rican Exchange Program resulting in a hiatus of the Spanish Club for two years. However, this year he decided to re-immerse himself into the Spanish Club and its objectives. “I want to get students involved outside of class to use the Spanish language and experience Spanish culture,” said Sturges.
Sturges has a range of activities planned, with the intention of holding at least one meeting per month, but he is also looking for ideas from the Spanish students. “I am always on the lookout for new activities and love to hear suggestions from the students involved in the club,” said Sturges.
