Our schools offer a variety of clubs and organizations to extend the school experience, which foster relationships and teamwork, encourage service, build leaders, and create opportunities to explore interests. Many of these activities allow students to broaden their understanding and appreciation of our differences and the global society in which we live.
Below are examples of these types of clubs and organizations offered at the secondary level. These opportunities vary from year to year, depending upon teacher availability and student enrollment.
Armenian Student Association: Explores Armenian culture and raises awareness of the Armenian Genocide through commemoration efforts in April.
Asian Festival: A celebration of cultures within the Ridgewood Community. The full-day celebration features visual and performing art pieces from China, India, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. The Festival also features a diverse luncheon of Asian foods and a Benefit for the community (proceeds from both go to support Doctors Without Borders).
Cambodia Club: The schools in the Village of Ridgewood built a school in Cambodia in 2007 and continue to support it financially. Members of the club learn about the history of the region, raise money to sustain the school, communicate with students at the school and support club trips to Cambodia when possible.
Chinese Club: Engages in Chinese Cultural activities and serves underprivileged communities.
Coexist Club: Anybody from any faith or religion is welcome to join the RHS Coexist Club! We will be holding weekly meetings and having open discussions for anybody who wants to learn more about different faiths. This club is a judgement free zone, and is meant to educate peers on everybody's different backgrounds.
French Club: Debate with French students from France, explore the culture, and participate in related activities.
German Club: The German Club welcomes all students who are interested in German culture. German Club members also raise money for charitable causes.
Girl Up: Ridgewood: GU is a United Nations Foundation Campaign that ignites the empowerment of girls, by girls around the world. In partnership with the United Nations, we stand up for girls, speak up for programs that help them thrive, and rise up as a community of advocates out to change the world, for good. Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation's adolescent girl campaign, engages girls to stand up for girls, empowering each other and changing our world. Led by a community of passionate advocates raising awareness and funds, our efforts help the hardest to reach girls living in places where it is hardest to be a girl.
Girls Who Code: A sisterhood of supportive peers and role models who use Computer Science to change the world! Members learn from fun and simple online coding tutorials and work in teams to design and build a Girls Who Code project to solve a real-world problem.
Global Issues Awareness Club: Discuss current events from an international perspective, and examine how issues in the US are playing out around the world.
Intersectional Feminists Club: Student run club to discuss women's issues in connection to race, social location, and class. Members discuss current events, experiences at RHS, and hold the occasional fundraiser for women or families in need.
Latin Club: Host events like the NJJCL Convention, participate in service opportunities, explore other classical fields (e.g. ancient technology), and experiment in linguistics.
National French Honor Society: This organization aims to stimulate interest in the study of French, to promote high standards of scholarship, to reward scholastic achievements, to create enthusiasm for and an understanding of Francophone cultures, and to promote international friendship.
National Latin Honor Society: High achieving Latin students in levels IVH and VAP work to spread joy and enthusiasm for the classics, in the form of peer tutoring, visits to elementary and middle schools, and participation in districtwide classics events.
National Spanish Honor Society: This organization encourages the exploration of the various cultures across the Hispanic/Latino world, promotes high standards of scholarship, serves others within our community and internationally, as well as provides opportunities to participate in various scholarships and contests offered by the national organization.
Progressive Student Alliance: Ensuring the highest quality of education for our children and standing for responsible, measured development of both commercial and residential entities to ensure the protection of our land and resources for all future generations while also encouraging our fellow students to volunteer, and play an active role in our school and community.
Project Interact: Volunteering club that provides service to community members in need of assistance. The motto “service above self” defines the drive of every member to care for others and help those around them.
Ridgewood Girls Unite: RGU is a mentorship program between high school and elementary school girls with a mission of fostering confidence, self-esteem, and positive relationships in Ridgewood. Members discuss opportunities for women and share their experiences in order to empower 5th-grade girls.
SAGA: Sexuality and Gender Association: An accepting club that talks about LGBT+ concepts and issues, but anyone is welcome to join.
Sharing the Arts: A musical theater program where students at RHS work with a group of young adults with special needs. Volunteers help the students put on a full musical production in the fall and then a smaller performance in the spring.
She’s the First: An organization that raises money to support girl’ education and rights worldwide. Through fundraising efforts, the club raises money to donate to schools abroad to provide educational opportunities for girls who otherwise would not have them.
Spanish Club: Educates students about Hispanic culture, food, and traditions in a fun manner. Plans a variety of activities that consist of attending field trips, going to Hispanic/Latin restaurants, celebrating traditions, and learning about Spanish countries.
Students for Social Justice: Students for Social Justice is focused on how to effectively bring social justice issues into the classroom.
Students of Color Alliance: An affinity club to empower and unite students of color to fight against injustices. Students will be able to voice their experiences of racism to bond over similar experiences while also learning about the differences. Together students can practice solidarity and put intersectionality to practice.
TEEEM: Provides students in the USA with an innovative opportunity to gain management and entrepreneurial skills while expanding their world perspective. TEEEM matches a school in the US with an international community. With an emphasis on medical, economic, and educational programming, TEEEM advises and guides students and teachers to co-manage the site with the social entrepreneurs who direct the humanitarian organizations. RHS TEEEM specifically focuses on Nyaka which is an organization that supports children in Uganda by providing them with an education, shelter, and food.
Turning Point: A space open to civil discussion. Many young people have recognized how divisive society has become in regards to political perspectives and Turning Point members are dedicated to changing this societal divide.
Unified Sports: An organization supported by Special Olympics. Members come together to further their understanding of inclusion by bringing people of all abilities together. “Play Unified, Stay Unified”
World Challenge Club: This club supports the World Challenge trips.
Cambodia Club: Members learn about the students who attend sister school in Cambodia. Students also learn about Cambodian culture, customs, and language, write letters to pen pals, and raise funds to keep the program running.
Social Service Club: The Social Services/REACT Club is a community outreach club. Members are involved in donating time (such as helping at the Fall Festival), fundraising for local, national, and international causes, and collecting food for local organizations such as the Social Services Association and the Center for Food Action. Our biggest project is the Paterson Holiday Gift Drive which we do each December. The club is open to all grades.
Spirit and Service Club: Members coordinate and participate in a variety of service activities, including by not limited to food drives, gift drives, and fundraisers in support of local charities.
United Club: Unified Sports® joins people with and without disabilities (known as Unified partners) on the same team. Dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences, it was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. Unified work in three ways: Inclusive Sports, Youth Leadership & Advocacy, and Whole-School Engagement.
World Language Clubs: Members learn about French culture and participate in fun activities related to a particular world language.