Lake Shore High School takes pride in having enriching extracurriculars for all students to participate in. Here at LSHS, there are countless fun clubs and activities you can choose to be a part of. The art club is one of those extracurriculars you can join at Lake Shore.

Art is and can be for anyone since it can be perceived in so many different spectrums. The club is run by Holly Bolen, one of the art teachers at LSHS. 

Robin Melnyk, a freshman, is a current member of the art club. She has improved her already incredible art skills by participating in the club. Melnyk has a passion for creating, and the art club has been a great outlet for her to express her talents and creativeness.

She reminisced of her favorite project she did in a meeting. Melnyk explained, “My favorite club project was the disc art.” This is where you take a disc, paint it black and scratch a design out of the paint. 

Melnyk then gleefully talked about how she liked the club ¨because we are not restricted to just one type of art but all types of fun art projects that nobody is grading or judging you for, just your own fun.¨ 

Melnyk continued,¨It is easy to balance the club with other aspects of my life because it is only every other Tuesday every week for an hour after school.¨ 

Wrapping up Melnyk´s point of view about the art club, she said, ¨I really recommend joining the art club because it is a fun way to escape from reality.¨ 

Anna Stackpoole, junior, is a new student here at Lake Shore High School. Stackpole is considering attending the next art club meeting, here’s why: ¨I really enjoy seeing other people´s art and art club gives you more freedom than an art class.¨ 

Stackpole’s feelings towards art came to the surface when she explained, ¨ I may not be very good at art, but I like it because it is something fun people can use to express themselves.¨ 

Stackpole then said how she ¨looks forward to being able to create projects freely without a deadline.¨ That is a key part that sets the club apart from a similar class, as the members and future members have stated it is nice to have an easygoing outlet to feel out creativity. Stackpole was finally asked how she felt from a student’s point of view on why partaking in after-school activities and clubs is so important for students, “You should have something fun you enjoy to do with other people, something that may be stressful, like schoolwork.¨ 

Julian Smith is a sophomore here at LSHS. He had a lot of good things to say about the club and just art in general. Smith told of how important art was to his life. He stated, ¨It’s been a very big part of my life since I was a little kid, and ever since I have pursued it as much as I can.¨ 

Since Smith was already very enthusiastic about art when the interview began, he was asked what one of his favorite projects he got to do in the club. ¨My favorite club project was the tie-dye shirts,¨ he stated.

Smith has already recommended the club to countless of his friends. Smith revealed that it was simple for him to attend club meetings because he ¨doesn’t have much going on after school,” however he also said, “some of my friends have lessons after school and other activities like sports going on so I understand why it is hard to manage.¨ 

Smith mentions meetings take place on Tuesdays, every other school week, if not specified otherwise. 

All of the people involved encouraged that even if it isn´t the art club specifically, getting involved in your school community is important. 

As stated previously, the meetings for the art club take place every other week on Tuesdays. The meetings are in Bolen´s classroom, room 116, after school from 3 p.m.- 4 p.m.

 From making Christmas ornaments to designing bags, the art club has a variety of fun projects and activities to participate in. It is very easy to join the art club, meetings are flexible and not mandatory. When you arrive at room 116, all you have to do is sign in on check-in and you´re in! If you can´t make it to a meeting one day it is not at all an issue, projects are all just for fun and can be taken with any creative liberties. 

The Lake Shore High School art club is a great resource if you are looking for somewhere to feed your hobbies and creativity. Take it from your fellow classmates, joining a club, sport, or any activity is an incredible way to put yourself out there and nourish your mental health.