Club

Advisor(s)

Description

Blue Notes

Mrs. McLaughlin

Blue Notes is an extracurricular jazz vocal ensemble composed of a select group of choir members who are chosen through auditions in the fall. The group performs at concerts, competitions, and various school functions throughout the year. Students must be a current member of a curricular choir (concert or chamber) as well as maintain good academic standing to be eligible for this group.

Book Club

Mrs. Webb

Join us in the Library to discuss what you are reading!

Class Officers

9 & 10 Bosch/Young

11 Tracy/Knight

12 Wakula

Class officers help organize and run events related to each individual class. 9th and 10th grade officers help organize fundraisers, the semi-formal and spring field day, 11th grade officers organize and help execute prom, and 12th grade officers help organize fundraisers, the senior trip, Powder Puff game, etc. All officers help in class competitions during homecoming in the fall. 

Drama Club

Mrs. McLaughlin/Mr. Cleland

Drama Club has 4 productions throughout every school year, a Shakespeare play, the Shakespeare Competition, our March Musical, and a Spring Play.  Last year’s shows were A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and The Outsiders. Our shows are a lot of fun to put together and perform, and any student is welcome to join, there’s a place for everyone!  We not only need actors, singers, and dancers on stage, but we have student instrumentalists in our pit orchestra for the musical, and technicians who build, paint, and move the set, learn to run light, sound, and video effects, and who are chosen for student leadership positions!  We’ve had students go on to work in professional theater, and in the meantime, last year we performed for over 5,000 members of the community!  Come to our September meeting to hear about our upcoming shows and how you can get involved!

Environmental Science 

Mr. Graves

Ms. Mikochik

Members compete with teams from various Cortland County school districts in an annual event, which is sponsored by the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension. Students compete in different science skill areas such as determining soil composition and pH level, wildlife and tree identification, and water analysis, among other tasks.

Distributive Education Clubs of America

(DECA) 

Mr. Dolson

Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is the largest business student organization in the world.  It is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) education association, preparing students for careers in business and business-related fields. Membership to DECA requires student enrollment in a business education class as well as a nominal fee to the national organization. Benefits of membership are vast!  Students will develop a competent, assertive business leadership style; participate in individual projects that contribute to the improvement of home, business and community; develop character, prepare for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism; encourage and practice efficient money management; encourage scholarship and promote school loyalty; and facilitate the transition from school to work. There is also the opportunity to compete locally and nationally, earn trophies, cash and more. Student membership also provides for exclusive membership to industry publications.

Homer FFA  

Mrs. Head

FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) is the national organization of, by, and for students enrolled in agri-science or agricultural education. FFA is intra-curricular and originated as a part of the high school agriculture education curriculum. Members should be enrolled in a science and/or agriculture class, but may also participate if he/she has an interest in anything in the broad area of the agricultural and/or environmental sciences. 

FFA activities encourage students to learn leadership and life skills through active participation. Experiences include conducting and taking part in public meetings, problem-solving, entrepreneurship opportunities, agri-science research projects, competitions, travel and community service. Members experience leadership opportunities to improve their personal abilities and career experiences in the agri-science industry and their local communities.

Homer Film Society

Mr. Hatch

Weekly discussions and exploration of film through a variety of activities. 

International Club

Ms. Altmann/Mrs. Henderson

The purpose of the International Club is to provide activities of an international nature for the world language students of Homer High School. This club represents world language students and supports some of the expenses incurred within world language classes, as well as student travel, international themed dinners, language competitions, language entertainment, special projects, possible support of a foreign child, and special activities with Homer’s exchange students. The information on being club officers is discussed within the world language classes. The officers meet regularly at an agreed upon time.

Jazz Band

Mr. DiGennaro

This is a voluntary instrumental group available to all interested students. It examines and performs all types of jazz, swing, and rock music. Jazz Band participates in exchange programs, school assemblies and concerts, as well as recruiting concerts. Through this group, an opportunity is provided for the interested students to perform, in a serious way, this facet of the American Musical Scene. Jazz Band usually meets on Monday evenings. Membership in Concert Band is required.

Link Crew 

Mrs. Bosch

Link Crew is a high school transition program that welcomes freshmen and makes them feel comfortable throughout the first year of their high school experience. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, Link Crew trains members of the junior and senior classes to be Link Leaders. As positive role models, Link Leaders are motivators, leaders and teachers who guide the freshmen to discover what it takes to be successful during the transition to high school and help facilitate first year success. Students wishing to be Link Leaders need to apply in May for the following year and will be selected based on leadership and citizenship

Marching Band

Mr. DiGennaro

This is easily the most visible group in the music department. Students start rehearsing weekly in May to perform the Memorial Day parade, the Cortland County Dairy parade and the Homer Firemen’s Field Days parade. Playing in the group is a nice way to give back to our supportive Homer community, and is a group that students say they had the most fun. Openings in winds, percussion, and colorguard. Winds and percussion who are in high school are always welcome, but any color guard student grades 4-12 is also welcome.

Men in Black

Mrs. McLaughlin

Men in Black is a co-curricular men’s vocal ensemble that rehearses every Thursday 9th period and performs at concerts, competitions, and various school functions throughout the year. Students must be a current member of a curricular choir (concert or chamber) as well as maintain good academic standing to be eligible for this group.

Musical Theater

Mrs. McLaughlin

Participation in the musical is open to any Homer High School student as long as they sign up, attend required rehearsals, meetings, and abide by the behavior and academic guidelines outlined in the Musical Theater Contract. Students in band may be in the pit orchestra, and any interested student can be a member of the tech crew, costume crew, or cast. Auditions are in late October, rehearsals start after Thanksgiving, and the performances are usually the first weekend of March.

National Honor Society

Ms. Tracy

The purpose of National Honor Society is: to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service in school and the local community, to promote leadership in students, to develop character in the students of secondary schools. A detailed description of criteria can be found in our student handbook on page 34.

Odyssey Yearbook

Mrs. Evangelista- Perez

The Odyssey staff is composed of any interested students. Students apply in the spring for the type of work they wish to do on the yearbook staff. The entire staff is composed of several smaller staff, each with a specific job. The copy staff writes the material that goes into the yearbook. The production staff does the actual layout and planning of what the book will look like. The ad staff is responsible for financing the book. There are also typing, sports, photography, and business staff, which have respective jobs. Freshmen entering in the fall should see the advisor if they wish to participate in the yearbook staff.

Olympian

Mr. Hatch 

Mr. Massenzio

The Olympian is the student-run newspaper first published on October 3, 1930, as the Homer Academy News. The newspaper staff is headed by a student editor-in-chief who coordinates the overall production of the newspaper and distributes story and photography assignments. Any student interested in contributing on a continuing or occasional basis is welcome to join our staff.

Beginning with the 78th anniversary edition of the Olympian on September 30, 2008, the newspaper became an all-digital publication. In the first full year of creating a digital newspaper, the Olympian staff saved more than 100,000 pages from being needlessly printed and soon after, discarded. The conservation of resources is a valuable example of how organizations, large and small, can reinvent their modes of operation to be more sustainable and responsible. Students with an interest in writing, photography, and/or graphic design are encouraged to join the Olympian staff.  Meetings are held on a monthly basis in room 121.

Pit Band

Mr. DiGennaro

This group provides live music for the spring musical. This includes backing up the singers on stage and underscoring music and scene changes. Students start rehearsing regularly in January and join with the cast and technical portions of the show two weeks before the show opens. The music is the same music played by professional Broadway musicians, so it’s challenging but at the same time fun and rewarding. Interested students in good academic standing must be in a concert band to be eligible.

Rainbow Road

Mrs. Burr/Mrs. Capps

Rainbow Road is a safe space for all with a focus LGBTQ+ topics and advocacy. We strive to make Homer a safer and more supportive place by educating students, teachers, and ourselves. In club meetings we discuss life, current events, engage in advocacy events and discuss ways to make Homer a safer space. Crafts, food and good people make it fun! 

Ruby Rhythms

Mrs. McLaughlin

Ruby Rhythms is an extracurricular women’s choir comprised of a select group of choir members who are chosen through auditions in the fall. The group performs at concerts, competitions, and various school functions throughout the year. Students must be a current member of a curricular choir and maintain good academic standing to be eligible for this group.

S.A.D.D

Mr. Massenzio

SADD stands for “Students Against Destructive Decisions.” This group plans several activities each year, the most noteworthy of which are the pre-prom safety activities in May.

Shakespearean Society 

Membership in the Shakespearean Society is an honorary position that recognizes the work done by an individual on theater productions during the school year. Any student may participate in the plays in any form (sets, props, acting, etc.), and membership is voted on by the present members. 

Student Government

Mr. Hatch

Mrs. Webb

The purpose of the Student Government is to enable students to voice their opinions, discuss and suggest solutions to school problems, other school related matters and share new ideas. Student Government acts as a liaison between the students, administration, faculty, and staff. This organization plans student activities and participates in orientation, open house, spirit week, sponsors dances, and also does humanitarian functions. Student Government is open to all interested students. Officers are elected at the end of each school year by students in ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades.

The Ionian

Mr. Hatch/Mrs. Webb

A creative arts magazine publishing student-created writing and art. Be a part of our editorial team and/or submit something to be published!

Ukulele Club

Mr. Hatch/Mrs. Webb

A fun, informal club that plays and sings student-selected songs on the ukulele. Beginners are welcome, and a limited number of ukuleles are available to borrow!

UNICEF

Ms. Altmann

The UNICEF Club is a youth-led movement that partners with UNICEF USA and activates their local community. The youth should know what is going on around the world and how it affects them. We promote youth leadership, build core advocacy skills, and collaborate with different school clubs and parts of our community. As a club, we focus on planning and supporting fundraisers that generate donations for UNICEF and contribute to UNICEF’s impact on children.

Winterguard 

This extracurricular group participates in competitive winter color guard circuits. The ensemble performs many types of music and annually employs top choreographers and instructors to work with its sections. In return for extra rehearsal time required, extra rewards (such as banquets, award ceremonies, and trips) are planned. Membership is open to all.

Youth in Government

Ms. Giordano

Youth and Government is a nationwide mock state government program

for students who have an interest in government. Students in the Legislative

Branch will write bills, which are proposed laws, the Judicial Branch decides how

the laws will write a brief and argue an appellate case and the Executive Branch,

led by a student elected Governor, will decide whether to sign a bill into law. You

could be a part of the Legislative Branch or the Judicial Branch. If those don’t

sound interesting, you could be a part of the press which writes articles about the

program for the state conference or a lobbyist which persuades the legislators to

change their vote. In March, students from all around the state will meet in

Albany for a three day state conference. In Albany, the students will go to the

actual capital and debate in the same chambers the state government does. This

gives the students a bird’s eye view of what the state government does.

Science NHS

Mrs. Costa

Ms. Mikochik

The purpose of this society is to recognize your achievement in the study and practice of science. Member’s knowledge and understanding  of the sciences will be enhanced by promoting scholarship and curiosity  through various activities.

By Invitation Only

• Completion of two Regents science courses with a 90% or above course average AND minimum Regents exam score of 85% in those courses. 
• Minimum science average of 90% 
• Minimum mathematics average of 85%.
• Minimum overall (un-weighted) scholastic average of 90%

Science Olympiad

Ms. Costa/MS. Mikochik

Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division (Division B is middle school; Division C is high school). Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. By combining events from all disciplines, Science Olympiad encourages a wide cross-section of students to get involved. Emphasis is placed on active, hands-on group participation. Through Science Olympiad, students, teachers, parents, principals and business leaders bond together and work toward a shared goal.

French NHS

Ms. Altmann

Société Honoraire de Français The National French Honor Society is an organization that recognizes the outstanding scholarship of students in the study of French. The goal of this organization is to stimulate interest in studying the language, reward scholastic achievement, create enthusiasm and understanding of Francophone cultures as well as promote international friendship. 

In order to qualify to be inducted into the SHF, students must maintain an overall GPA of 90 or better for five consecutive semesters of high school study of the French language. Students must demonstrate and maintain good citizenship and character. Students are expected to continue to study the French language beyond the minimal graduation requirements set forth by New York State and promote cultural awareness in the school and local communities.

In order to become a member of the SHF, students are expected to meet the above mentioned requirements, participate in the Induction Ceremony and make the official pledge to the National French Honor Society Chapter #6111 at Homer. In order to maintain an active membership in the SHF, students are expected to attend regular meetings and participate in the organization's activities such as fundraisers and community service projects throughout the year. Students are also expected to continue to study the French language and maintain excellent academic standing in the French language as well as in their overall academics. 

Students unable to meet the requirements necessary in order to maintain an active membership in the National French Honor Society Chapter #6111 at Homer must seek the counsel of the chapter’s sponsor concerning the requirements necessary to maintain an associate membership status.