Amidst the large variety of clubs introduced during West High’s annual Club Rush, a new club has joined the scene: West High’s Political Club (PC), dedicated to bringing our student bodies’ political prowess to life.
Open to all students, PC’s publicist Amanda Bruers (12) hopes to educate other peers about “the government that we are inheriting . . .so that we can make smart political decisions,” she shared. Bruers explains that the political club plans to enable students to understand the “processes and the workings of the government,” allowing them to be “more politically savvy and smarter voters in the future”.
When asked about club meetings, Bruers elaborated that the club had a variety of activities planned to provide students with a deeper understanding of the political scene. “One of the things that we discussed was a potential mock debate . . . [or] discussions about hot topics or hypotheticals,” Bruers expressed. Through the introduction of these mock discussions, the club hopes to provide members with a greater understanding of how bills are written and passed while providing a space to discuss the difference of opinions these bills can produce.
Club President Ethan Lam (12) explains the necessity of being informed within the political realm, elaborating that “with so much unfolding in the recent months, with Biden dropping out of the presidential race and two failed assassination attempts on former president Donald Trump, it is a necessity that we delve into the political realm.” He mentioned that although “politics and government might seem like an intimidating topic to talk about”, students still need to be well informed about the rapidly-changing political world. Yet, the motivations of our new Political Club lie further than just simply tackling the current political election. Lam commented that “there are also local issues that I believe are relevant to students and worth learning about, like the LAUSD cellphone ban which has had ripple effects here at West this school year.”
When asked about Lam’s direction and hopes for the club, he communicated that he hopes to instill an “annual voter registration/pre-registration drive at West.” He furthers this point by explaining that “although many eligible seniors can register to vote through the DMV, there may be some who have not gotten their driver’s license.” PC recognizes the importance of giving the people a voice, and through the club’s efforts to bring the youth to participate in voting registration, it could enable more voices to be heard.
For further information regarding the club, one should attend the club meetings that happen on a biweekly basis on Thursdays during lunch in room 3304. So, although the club may initially seem daunting, Bruers revealed that the role of the club isn’t to “be scary, but to educate others about the processes of government.” PC, in preparation for the school year, utilizes its position to help students comprehend the political scene, enlightening the community with an improved outlook on the government. The representatives will continue to welcome other students who are eager to deepen their understanding.
