In the United States alone there are about 24,000 to 25,000 high schools. Only a handful of those high schools have religious student association clubs in their districts. One more school has been added to the handful, Sewanhaka High School. Sewanhaka has been known to have a diverse amount of extracurriculars and activities available for students to choose from. In addition to supporting academics, Sewanhaka has always prioritized how Sewanhaka students spend their time after school. Now, with the addition of the Sikh Student Association (SSA) to Sewanhaka, students are really excited and are joyful that they now have a club that they can be a part of.
The president and founder of the SSA, Rajbir Toor has acknowledged that when he had entered seventh grade there were a very few number of Sikh students enrolled at Sewanhaka. However, as the years went on, he saw more and more students either immigrated from India or moved from places such as Queens. He claimed that as he saw the Sikh student body expanding, he realized the need to create a space for students to connect, especially for those who are coming from India or immigrating to have a place in order to receive guidance. Not just a place for guidance but also a place where they feel comfortable. Rajbir told me that a big inspiration for him to start this club was after seeing other religious clubs such as the MSA and Seekers club start at Sewanhaka. He thought that the club would be a great addition to the school not only for the Sikh students, but also for “more diversity, inclusion and understanding of different religions.” Many students may have had thoughts of starting a club. But due to the lack of knowledge on how to or where to create one, they had buried the idea and graduated without pursuing the start of the club.
Many students have graduated from Sewanhaka High School and only take academic memories with them. But, the students who have been a part of starting a club or even being involved in a club have much more to take. Not only is it a great way to learn about collaborative skills and teamwork. But also a great opportunity to build your resume for college. Many high school students have not been able to attend activities and unfortunately they weren’t to get the best of what their school offers. But, these activities shouldn’t be missed. Sewanhaka along with other schools are starting to include more and more clubs for students. Clubs and compass, various thoughts and emotions of students. This is just a start, there are way more to come.
