At Raleigh Charter High School, students have a lot of strong academic opportunities, but there’s something missing. Our school needs more hands-on, trade school activities and real-world clubs. Not every student wants to sit in a classroom all day or focus only on college-prep work, and some students may not even go to college. Some prefer to learn practical skills, and the school should offer more options like that. Schools should support all types of futures, not just one path.
Currently, Raleigh Charter offers many academic clubs and activities such as robotics, STEM Club, Calculus, and Quizbowl. Academically, our school is excellent and strongly focused on arts, academics, and college preparation. However, there should also be more career- and trade-oriented clubs, such as woodworking, construction, or automotive basics. These activities teach useful real-life skills like fixing things, building projects, and understanding trades that can lead to stable careers. Not everyone wants a job that involves sitting at a desk all day, and that is completely okay.
Sophomore Kyle Chase said, “I think it would be beneficial to have a trade club at Raleigh Charter to help with the decline of knowledge in the fields of trades. With AI being able to now take over most desk jobs, it is essential that people learn how to do tasks such as fixing damaged pipelines and changing their oil.”
“The older mechanics and plumbers are having a hard time finding younger people to replace them, and one thing AI won’t be able to do is help physically fix the things we use most,” Chase said.
One example of a valuable program is Future Farmers of America (FFA). Clubs like FFA teach students about agriculture, mechanics, leadership, and teamwork. Even if someone does not want to become a farmer, they can still gain useful skills like using tools, understanding food production, and managing projects. Right now, students at Raleigh Charter do not really have access to those types of experiences. Some people may argue that charter schools cannot have FFA programs, but that is not true. FFA chapters can exist at charter schools.
Another Program is Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC). This is a very important program. You learn important life skills that you don’t always get in a regular classroom. It teaches things like leadership, responsibility, teamwork, survival skills, accountability, and respect. These are very important in life and in future jobs. Students also stay active and build confidence by doing activities like drills, fitness training, and community service. JROTC brings students together and creates a community where you learn to respect and support each other. Even if you don’t want to join the military, JROTC is still a great program to become a more disciplined person.
Another program could be weight training. Weight Training could be held as a class and led by a trainer where students learn respect, responsibility, accountability, mental strength, and physical strength. Our school is full of academics, which causes lots of stress for the students. Weight training, where you work out, can allow the students to get their mind off of school while staying fit and in shape. Staying in shape can be hard when your schedule is so busy, but it’s very beneficial for our minds. Sophomore Eliana Lenio, who agreed that weight training would be a great course to add, said, “I think that it would be cool to have more trade-based clubs at our school. Even if you don’t want to go to trade school, it is still a great opportunity to explore.” Raleigh Charter High School should expand its after-school programs to include more practical, hands-on clubs like FFA, JROTC, and trade-based activities. These programs would give students more choices, teach valuable life skills, and make the school more inclusive for students with different interests and goals. Adding these opportunities would show that success does not only come from going to college. There are many paths to a successful future, and schools should help students explore all of them.
