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    Clubs & Organizations

    Below is a list or all the clubs offered at Anderson. There is definitely something for everyone!! If students have any questions about a Club, they should contact the Club Sponsor or main contact listed. Club meetings are announced to the student body during morning announcements or you can obtain a list of meeting dates from the Sponsor. Club meeting dates will not be listed on the PTSA website calendar because the dates change regularly. They will be listed in the TrojanTimes when we know specific dates, but students should always refer to the morning announcements and the Sponsors’ information for exact dates.

    We hope this helps you in your search to be involved at Anderson High School!!

    Anime Club

    SPONSOR: Stacy Rodgers, 414-7946, srodgers@austinisd.org. The Anderson High School Anime Club promotes the appreciation and enjoyment of Anime as an art form as well as an awareness and understanding of Japanese culture. Any Anime fan may join us at our meetings after school every Thursday in Room 344. Our activities range from viewing and discussing Anime, playing games, doing Anime-related crafts, sharing information about cosplay, and planning for upcoming conventions across Texas. Annual dues are $10.

    Anderson Bike Club

    SPONSOR: Angela Zumwalt, 841-1560, azumwalt@austinisd.org. The Anderson Bike Club is open to anyone who enjoys the sport of cycling. Members do not necessarily have to own a bike or even know how to ride one. We meet in room 100 (Mrs. Zumwalt’s room) on the first Tuesday of each month after school to hear a brief presentation on bike safety, bike mechanics, or current events in the biking world while enjoying cookies and Gatorade! In addition, there is a group of us that likes to race and is dedicated to practicing at least twice a week after school. This “Anderson Cycling Team” uses the money made from fundraisers to participate in charity bike races. For more information, come by room 100 or find us on Facebook (search groups: Anderson Bike Club). Dues are $20, which includes a t-shirt!

    Art Club

    SPONSOR: Mauro Garza, 841-1573, maugarza@austinisd.org. This club is open to any student interested in art. The members will create school and community-based projects and share information about Art shows and events. Art Club usually meets on Tuesdays, in Room 13. Listen to morning announcements for exact meeting dates.

    Book Club

    SPONSOR: Yvonne Fuller. The Book Club meets once a month at Russell’s Bakery and Coffee (3339 Hancock Dr.) before school. The first meeting is Wednesday Sept. 19th at 7:45. The group chooses the books they wish to read and every member is given a chance to talk at the meetings about the books. Past books have been Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet in Heaven, In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien, A Million Little Pieces, Nine Stories, The Historian and The Time Traveler’s Wife. It is a really fun group of students from freshmen to seniors who enjoy reading! New members are always welcome! Possible books for this year are The Glass Castle or Water For Elephants. Contact Abigail Finch at ahs.bookclub@hotmail.com or 731-9744.

    Chess Club

    SPONSOR: John Sperry, 841-1564, jwsperry@austinisd.org. This club is open to all levels of chess players, from first timers to advanced level players. This group meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunch in Room 117. This school year, some tournaments are being scheduled with local area high schools. So, if you want to learn to play chess or need a competitive match, come check us out.

    Computer Club

    SPONSOR: Kathy Deases, 841-1553, kdeases@austinisd.org. This club is open to students who are enrolled in Computer Science or any Technology class, and who have a decent knowledge of computers or networking. Some members participate in Computer Science UIL competition in February/March each year. Meetings are every other Wednesday after school in Room 145 until about 5:00 p.m. Activities alternate between game playing and computer projects, ranging from rewiring rooms to repairing computers. Dues are $15. Whether you have a passion for computers or are just a geek at heart, feel free to stop by without worry of any obligation.

    Darfur Awareness Club

    SPONSOR: Cathryne McNamara, 841-1613, cmcnamara@austinisd.org. This club consists of activities and discussions to raise raise genocide awareness within and outside of the Anderson student population. Senior Lauren Frager is the President. Meetings are every other Wednesday after school in Room 341. For questions contact President Lauren Frager lauren@fragers.com

    Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)

    SPONSOR: Cindy Agee, 841-1627, cagee@austinisd.org. The purpose of DECA is to improve marketing, management and merchandising abilities. Members participate in district, state, and national competition. DECA is open to any student that has taken a career and technology class. Meetings are held approximately every other Wednesday morning at 8:30 in Room 134.

    Fellowship of Christian Athletes

    SPONSOR: Coach Zane Busch, 414-7925, zbusch@austinisd.org and Chris Snapp, cs@fcaaustin.org. FCA is an organization for Christian athletes and even non-athletes who meet together on a regular basis for encouragement, Bible study, and prayer. Meetings will be in Room 318. Listen to announcements for meeting dates.

    French Club

    SPONSOR: Carol Saberian, 841-1625, csaberia@austinisd.org This club, for all students, provides activities that reinforce students’ knowledge of French language and culture. We watch French films, decorate the French classroom, eat French cuisine, etc. It is not necessary to be enrolled in a French course to join this club. Meetings are the second Thursday of the month in Mme. Saberian’s room 321 at 4:15 p.m. Dues are $5.

    Future Teachers of America

    SPONSOR: Audrei Simcox, 841-6081, asimcox@austinisd.org. FTA encourages students to investigate teaching as a career and to develop individual leadership skills. Attitude is everything and we work to be a positive role model for teachers and students. Activities include “Teachers of the Week,” a student initiated program to recognize the ongoing dedication of educators on this campus. Read Across America, and other community service as requested. Members shadow teachers twice a year at elementary and middle schools for half a day, attend student teacher day in the UT Education Department in the spring, and assist teachers on campus as needed. Members must have at least a 2.5 grade average (the minimum GPA an applicant must have to receive a Texas Teaching Certificate, along with other TEA requirements). We are affiliated with TSTA and help at their state convention in February. We attend both district and state FTA conventions, and have had state and district officers in the last five years. Scholarships are available to qualifying seniors. Dues are $5.00. Meetings are held twice a month during both lunches in Room 309. Dues $5, t-shirts $10, and all monies are due by October 1st.

    German Club

    SPONSOR: Julia Lesher, phone: 841-1624, jlesher@austinisd.org. The German Club is a place to take part in German culture while having a lot of fun. We learn to cook and dance, watch German movies and attend Wurstfest - among other things. The club is open to any student currently or previously enrolled in a German class. The German Club has added the German Immersion Cafe. The students come together for coffee and cake and to practice their German by chatting with each other or playing board games. The German Club and the German Immersion Cafe meets every Wednesdays in Room 320 after school until 5 p.m. They alternate Wednesdays. Dues are $15 and are due by the 1st of October.

    Green Club

    SPONSOR: Robert Gibbons, 841-1634, rgibbons@austinisd.org We are the environmental club promoting recycling. Visit our new AHS Green Club web site! Each classroom has a blue recycling bin for “anything that tears.” The types of paper accepted are: copy paper, colored paper, envelopes and folders (even those with windows or labels), newspaper, magazines, cardboard, and more! No need to remove staples, paper clips, tape, Post-it Notes, plastic tabs and metal bindings! In addition, ink jet cartridges may be placed in the labeled recycle boxes in each department’s office area, and small batteries (no car batteries please) may be recycled in a box in Mr. Gibbons’ classroom #310. We organize trash pick-ups throughout the year (at places such as Bull Creek). The club was awarded $500 grants from Longhorn Recycling Roundup for two years running, in fall of 2004 and 2005. This award allowed expansion of Anderson’s recycling to include plastic bottle recycling and more. In April, we will have Earth Day and Arbor Day environmental celebratory events. This group is open to anyone and meets on the last Tuesday of each month after school in Mr. Gibbons’ room 310. Dues are $5, and club t-shirts are $10 in sizes Youth to XL. For more information about the club or to be added to the email reminder list, contact the Green Club.

    Helping our Heroes Club

    SPONSOR: Doña Aíxa Hernández-Pound, 841-1637, alhernan@austinisd.org. The purpose of our organization is to create awareness of the elderly groups in our American society. In our society the elderly are greatly ignored, especially the Alzheimer afflicted person. Thus, the goal of Helping our Heroes is to establish a bridge between the AHS youth and the elderly by visiting a group residence. Meetings are open to any AHS student in good standing. Meetings will be held the first Thursday of the month in Room 317 from 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm. Visits to the elderly group residence will be on Saturdays.

    History Club

    SPONSOR: Wanda Wilson, 841-1593, wwilson@austinisd.org and Margo Garana, mgarana@austinisd.org, 841-1626. The Anderson History Club was started in February of 2007. It aims to promote and support the study and appreciation of history at Anderson High School. Any student who has an interest in history, in any era or area, is invited to join. Activities vary, but may include: discussing areas of interest, watching history-related films and/or TV shows, recognizing significant events/people in history, and studying topics such as genealogy, careers in the field of history, and historical foods. The History Club meets once a month on Monday, after school in room 234. Check the History Club bulletin board in the Social Studies hallway, or listen to the Trojan TV announcements for specific meeting dates.

    Junior Statesmen of America

    SPONSOR: Suzan Stratton, 841-1595, sstratt@austinisd.org. A non-partisan political organization dedicated to promoting the values of democracy, learning government and politics by doing. We also participate at the state level of Junior Statesmen. Students interested in politics should join ASAP to start working their way up to leadership positions. Meetings are held Tuesdays in room 230, after school until 5 PM. All Anderson students with an opinion or just curiosity are invited to attend.

    Key Club

    SPONSOR: Kallie Jones, 414-7931, kjones@austinisd.org. Key Club is an international student-led organization which provides its members with opportunities to be involved in service hours, build character and develop leadership. The members of this service organization participate in various activities such as Raise the Roof, Habitat for Humanity, The Children’s Hospital, etc. There is no point system for membership. The volunteer experience is what members gain from participating in projects. Volunteer for the good of it! Members who want to attend the super-fun closure activity at the end of the year, must attend at least 5 general Key Club meetings and at least 6 service projects. Key Club is affiliated with Key Club International and Kiwanis International. Meetings are every other Wednesday after school in Room 237. Meeting dates are posted on the Key Club bulletin board in the English hallway. Dues are $15/year, due by the last meeting in October.

    Knitting for the Needy

    SPONSOR: Michelle Szabo, 414-7951, mszabo@austinisd.org You don’t have to know how to knit in order to be in this club and yes, boys can join too. It is a place to have fun and hang out after school with friends, and as a plus, you’ll be helping the less fortunate. Visit the Knitting Club’s web site at http://www.freewebs.com/knittingandneedy! Meetings will be held the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month in Room 101.

    Leadership Council

    SPONSOR: Jill Farmer, 841-1558, jfarmer@austinisd.org. Students who choose to fill out an application may be a member of Leadership Council. Membership is established during the first two weeks of each school year. (Look for information in Teen Leadership classes and orientations, listen to announcements, and information is posted outside Ms. Farmer’s classroom, Room 135.) Members are required to attend a mandatory retreat early in the school year, monthly meetings (members miss 4th period class), monthly committee meetings (members meet during their lunch period, either A or B, to attend), and do community service each semester. Leadership Council is in charge of all Homecoming activities and serves as a forum for the student body to give their opinions on school matters to the administration. You must be a member of Leadership Council to run for class officer. Regular Meeting and Committee Meeting dates are on scheduled Fridays.

    Lil’ Picassos Club

    SPONSOR: Cathryne McNamara, 841-1613, cmcnamara@austinisd.org. Meets every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in front of Doss Elementary and consists of doing artwork with Doss elementary students who are waiting for after school parental pickup. For questions, contact Lil’ Picassos Presidents Aria Alba triplea2008@yahoo.com and Chris Pastrana chris.pastrana@gmail.com.

    Little Theatre Company

    SPONSOR: Paige Hamilton, 841-1580, phamilt1@austinisd.org. Drama club invites all interested students to join. Email ahsltc0708@gmail.com for membership and meeting information. Visit the Theatre website www.andersontheater.org for updated theatre info.

    Mu Alpha Theta, the National Math Honor Society

    SPONSORS: Matt Auger 414-7936, mauger@austinisd.org and Meagan Vickers 841-1602, mvickers@austinisd.org Mu Alpha Theta is a National Mathematics Honor Society dedicated to inspiring keen interest in, developing strong scholarship in, and promoting the enjoyment of mathematics. Mu Alpha Theta recognizes students who enjoy and excel in mathematics and encourages students to participate in math-related events, such as U.I.L. math competitions: Calculator, Number Sense, and Mathematics. Membership into Mu Alpha Theta is by invitation only to those who are in Algebra II or higher level math courses with an 85 or above cumulative average in all of their math classes. Membership forms will be given out by math teachers near the end of the first weeks, and these forms and $10 dues are due in October. First meeting is on Wednesday, October 3rd after school from 4:20-4:50 in the cafeteria.

    National Honor Society

    SPONSOR: Ann Girardot, 841-1596, agirardo@austinisd.org, Assistant Sponsors: Carol Saberian, 841-1625, csaberia@austinisd.org and Kathy Deases, 841-1553, kdeases@austinisd.org. A prospective student must have favorable standing as a junior or senior and have a cumulative 3.5000 GPA at the end of their sophomore or junior year. The GPA is not rounded in any way. A candidate must also have been in attendance at Anderson for at least one semester. In addition, a student must have acceptable ratings on the National Honor Society Student Activity Information Form, which asks eligible NHS students to list all leadership positions, extracurricular activities, community service participation, and job/work experiences. Students also must receive favorable teacher recommendations indicating high standards of leadership and character. These standards include “demonstrating the highest standards of honesty and reliability,” “observing instructions and rules, both inside and outside of the classroom,” and “avoiding cheating.” (National Honor Society Handbook) Membership in the National Honor Society is a priviledge, not a right. Junior and senior students who are eligible for membership by having a 3.5000 cumulative GPA or higher are sent an invitation to complete the National Honor Society Candidate and Student Activity Information Form at the end of September. Teacher recommendations are gathered in early October. The final membership selection is made by a five member faculty committee, appointed by the principal. Members are inducted into our chapter in the fall of each year. The Induction Ceremony will be held on a Sunday afternoon in November. All NHS members must maintain a 3.5000 cumulative GPA, fulfill volunteer service requirements, and maintain the high standards of leadership and character that were used as the basis for their selection. Seniors who maintain the required service points and GPA’s receive honors recognition at graduation by wearing a NHS medallion. NHS offers peer tutoring and performs many community service projects. Dues for new members are $20, and will be collected at the Induction Ceremony. Meetings for this year will be on September 20th, October 4th, November 8th, December 6th, January 17th, February 7th, March 6th, April 3rd, and May 8th. All meetings will be on Thursdays from 4:20-4:50 in the cafeteria. The Induction Ceremony for new members will be on Sunday, November 18th, at 2:00 pm in the theatre.

    National Science Bowl®

    SPONSOR: Will Wofford, 841-1568, wwofford@austinisd.org. National Science Bowl® is a highly visible educational event and academic competition, and teams answer questions in all branches of science and math. Interested students meet every day after school in January & February, as the regional competition is in February. For more information about this event, go to the National Science Bowl® web site, or contact Mr. Wofford.

    Physics Club

    SPONSOR: Will Wofford, 841-1568, wwofford@austinisd.org. Meets after school on most days in Mr. Wofford’s room, #110. This club provides an opportunity for students to participate in physics activities. Students must be enrolled in physics. Students tutor each other and get physics help. Many of these students also participate in fundraisers for and competition in events such as National Science Bowl®, and Anderson’s Robotics. See separate listings for these competitive events.

    River Watch

    SPONSOR: Mary Eastberg, 414-7921, meastber@austinisd.org and Jeff Schwarz, 841-1571, jschwarz@austinisd.org. This volunteer group focuses on weekly visits to Bull Creek where students engage in water quality analysis, macro invertebrate collections and habitat assessments. In the past, the volunteers have attended a spring symposium, sponsored by the LCRA, where we met with other River Watch members and exchanged information about our section of the Colorado River. River Watch meets every Wednesday after school in room 104.

    Anderson Robotics

    SPONSOR: John Sperry, 841-1564, jwsperry@austinisd.org. Anderson Robotics team will be participating in the Capitol BEST and FIRST robotics competitions. No experience necessary. Students at all levels are encouraged to participate. Capitol BEST (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology) and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science & Technology) are both yearly engineering competitions designed to inspire students towards further studies in the fields of science and engineering. Starting from a box of raw materials, teams are given six weeks to design, build, and then demonstrate a remote-controlled machine (robot) that will perform a given task. We currently have a dozen mentors, UT Engineering/Robotics students and local engineering professionals, whose job is to mentor and guide the students in understanding the engineering process, teaming, brainstorming and other business principles. On contest day, teams pit their machines in a head-to-head sports-like competition to see which is BEST. Join us as we advance to Nationals again this year! Meetings are Mondays 4:15-5:45 pm in Mr. Sperry’s room 117. Check in with Mr. Sperry during the day. As the robot grows, it may move to UT Pickle Research Lab warehouse. Design Team, Build Team, Marketing Team, Promotional Team each meet after school on different days. For more information about this club, visit www.andersonrobotics.com. Other important dates: October 6th Test Drive BEST Robot on playing field, Roger Beasley Mazda, Georgetown; October 20th Test Drive BEST Robot on playing field, Lakeline Mall (check with Mr. Sperry for Anderson’s practice time); October 27th BEST Competition Day -Akins High School; January 5th FIRST Kick Off San Antonio; February 19th FIRST ship date (robot is shipped to Houston); March 20-22nd FIRST Lone Star Regional Competition Houston.

    Spanish Club

    SPONSOR: Tom Jolliffe, 841-1632, tjolliff@austinisd.org. Membership is open to all students and this organization is devoted to promoting knowledge about and an interest in the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. Meeting dates and locations will be announced during morning announcements. We will meet once a month in Room 316. Dues are $5. Some members of this club will participate in a Spanish poem recitation at UT. Many fun and culturally relevant activities are being planned.

    Sociedad Hispánica Honoraria (Spanish Honor Society)

    SPONSOR: Robert Gibbons, 841-1634, rgibbons@austinisd.org. The purpose of this club is to apply the knowledge of the Spanish language and culture learned in the classroom. This is accomplished through different service projects for the Austin community. Students who are enrolled in Spanish IV, have a 90 average for Spanish I-III, and are recommended by AHS staff are invited to join during the Fall semester. Academics, honor, character, service, and teacher recommendations are taken into consideration. Meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month at 4:15 p.m. in Sr. Gibbons’ room, #310.

    Speech and Debate Team

    SPONSOR: Joseph Uhler , 841-1615, juhler@austinisd.org. ?The Anderson Speech and Debate Team competes in tournaments across the state of Texas. The speech and debate season runs throughout the year. Anderson High School will host a tournament this spring on February 1st and 2nd. Students from every grade are encouraged to participate in speech and debate. Along with Lincoln-Douglass and Policy debate, a variety of speech events are offered, including various interpretations of literature, like poetry readings, prose readings, extemporaneous speaking, and original oratories. The Anderson Speech and Debate Team will compete in at least twenty tournaments and the team is affiliated with the prestigious National Forensic League , which tracks tournament points garnered by students. Debaters will receive various certificates at the end of the year based on the accrued tournament points. The Anderson Speech and Debate Team meets every day after school from 4:20-5:10 in Room 347. If you are interested in joining the team, please email us at andersonspeech-debate@hotmail.com . The Anderson Speech and Debate Team has become a closely knit-group of intelligent, creative, and fun individuals. If you are interested in having fun, traveling, and expressing yourself, please come check us out or send us an email.

    Studio 8403

    SPONSOR: Mauro Garza, 841-1573, maugarza@austinisd.org. This art club is for AP and IB students only who are working on art projects. Based on need, there is an open studio on Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm to work on these projects in a relaxed atmosphere.