Our WHS Academic Challenge Team is an award-winning group that competes in both local and national quiz bowl tournaments. Quiz topics include History, Geography, Fine Art, Music, Science, Math, Literature, and Pop Culture. Academic Challenge encourages a love of learning, recognizes outstanding achievement, and promotes academic excellence. Team members are expected to consistently come to PRACTICES and COMPETE in tournaments. We look for students who strive to improve their knowledge and understanding of quiz topics.

Advisors: Kristen Kall & Ray Mohr

Advisor: Kristen Kall

To promote awareness of Middle Eastern history and cultures.  To break down stereotypes and enhance diversity within the community.

Advisor: Gabriella Sills

Art club is a club for students interested in art and animation. This interest can range from casually enjoying to serious career focused pursuit. We have weekly meetings afterschool and engage in some activities throughout the year, such as Halloween Fun Night. The students will sometimes work on group projects, draw together, or just talk about their favorite anime. All are welcome.

Advisor: Will Wilson

Advisor: Thomas Major

The Westlake High School chapter of the national Best Buddies organization is a student-led club focused on developing friendships between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Best Buddies promotes and fosters the inclusion of students with disabilities in the day-to-day activities of a high school student.

Advisors: Rebecca Sawchik & Tabatha Devine

The Business Club meets weekly to discuss relevant business-related topics including stocks, investing, money, loans, marketing, finance, accounting and entrepreneurship. Students will work with community members to complete the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge curriculum, culminating in the Ohio Stock Market Team Challenge in December. This challenge awards cash to the top 3 winning teams.  In the spring networking will be emphasized, and utilized on our spring business visit and lunch field trip.

Advisor: Sara Rothkegel

Coach: Bianca Beekman

The Westlake Chess Club is dedicated to promoting the great game of chess for players of all grade levels and ability. Visitors and casual players are welcome.  No boards are required!  Chess club has 15 boards in Demon colors for students to play on.  Meetings are once per week, usually on different days to minimize conflicts, and the day the meetings are held will be posted outside room C-117, the same location as chess club.

Advisor: Ray Mohr

The Computer Club is for students that are interested in various aspects of computing - with a focus on computer science. This group will prepare after school weekly, to participate and/or compete in an array of activities virtually and in-person throughout Northeast Ohio. Some of the activities include, but are not limited to: CyberStart America (Cybersecurity) Competition, Data Science Competition, Computer Science Education Week Carnival, Cool Tech Challenge, Hyland's High School Innovation Showdown, and much more.

Advisor: Shanti Coaston

This club if for students who know how to, or are interested in learning to crochet or knit. Students learn how to make a variety of handmade knit and crochet items like stuffed animals, hats, scarves, blankets, purses, etc. Students will participate in donating items to charity, and a school display project.  Students do not need to have experience to join.

Advisor: Abby Heller

Coach: Anne Marie King

These groups are both part of the Westlake High School Marching Band. They perform at all halftime shows and band festivals during football season and also march in the Homecoming and Memorial Day parades. 

The Demonettes use tinsel hoops, poms and swing flags and are known for their amazing kicks!

The Debonaires use three different sized flags (swing, opener and performance) and their awesome routines can be seen from anywhere in the stadium!

Members are selected through a tryout process each spring and must be in 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th grade at the time of the tryout. Selected members will need to be able to fit 12th period Marching Band into their 1st quarter WHS schedule and CANNOT participate in a fall sport. All members will participate in band camp, which begins at the end of July and runs daily through the start of the school year. Members also receive one quarter fine arts credit. 

No dance experience or special training is required. These groups have tons of fun and lifelong friendships are often the result of time spent on these lines!

Please watch for tryout information in early spring! We hope to see you there!

Advisors:

Demonettes - Rachel Stenger

Debonaires - Gia Salamalekis

The mission of Environmental Club is to engage students in educational opportunities and activities that promote sustainability and increase environmental awareness in our community and on our campus, including maintaining the school’s apiary and pollinator garden.

Advisor: Jon Cuomo

French Club is an opportunity for students to spend time together and enjoy their love of the French language and culture outside of class time.  We participate in all school events and have a lot of fun celebrating Mardi Gras in the spring.  All levels of French students and their friends are welcome to come and check it out!  We meet on Wednesdays after school in room D216.

Advisors: Laura Behanic & Elizabeth Zingales

What’s GSD? A club for people to learn about LGBTQ+ issues, to make change for the better of the community, and to have a safe space to express their identities.

Advisor: Ann Hasenohrl

Whether you enjoy board games, video games, or both, our WHS Game Club is a place where students meet for an hour after school with other peers a few times per month to engage in either recreational or competitive play.  We have students that specially come to learn how to play new games, students that bring their own games to play and teach, students that come to spectate and enjoy the comradery, and other students that come to challenge others and show what they’re made of in that one specific game that they love to play.  We have a growing selection of games to choose from, a Dungeons and Dragons starter kit for those that would like to start their own campaign, at least one Nintendo Switch running with Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart, or a different featured video game for the month, and many students that bring their own Nintendo Switch, Xbox, or Playstation to compete with others in games like FIFA, NBA 2K, Madden, Just Dance, etc.  New, casual, and experienced students are all welcome!

Advisor: Matt Krupa

The Green & White is a student-run, open-forum news site published during the school year.  All members are students of Westlake High School.  The Green & White has been a voice for the students, giving them news, ideas and information for about 100 years.  At a time when newspaper sales are going down, our website strives to make demons more aware of their surroundings and accommodate the digital age of journalism with a fully functioning website.

Advisors: Geoff Friedrich & Kim Sullivan

This club is for students interested in hand-lettering, calligraphy, card making, drawing/doodling, and journaling. Club meetings include practicing and learning new hand lettering skills . Occasionally teachers and other school staff request hand lettered items like posters, signs etc. and students can earn service hours.  Around the holidays, the handlettering club sells handmade holiday, birthday, and thank you cards and donates proceeds to St. Johns. There is also a Spring card sale for graduation, birthday, mother's/father's day, etc. Students do not need to have experience to join.

Advisor: Abby Heller

Advisor: Officer Gaertner

Advisor: Thomas Major

Key Club is an international student-led organization that provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership. We operate under school regulations and all members of the Westlake student body are welcome to join. Key Club is jointly sponsored by the Kiwanis club, which is composed of leading business and professional people of the Westlake community. There are various opportunities for service projects that members can participate in.

Advisor: Beth Noren

A service oriented club of students who take Latin.  Our main focus is serving the community and attending the Junior Classical League Convention in March which connects Latin students across the state in academic, graphic arts, creative and dramatic arts, certamen and service.

Advisor: Lisa Patton

The Model United Nations program of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs is the main focus of Model UN Club at WHS.  This club is for a student who has an interest in developing a globally thoughtful, internationally minded perspective while exploring current world issues and proposing solutions to those challenges while engaged in the simulated processes of the United Nations.  This engagement occurs during Model UN Conferences held at local Colleges and Universities throughout the academic year.  Club members attendance and participation at a conference is encouraged but never mandatory.  Club members have also participated in the CCWA sponsored Academic World Quest, a competition among school teams regarding knowledge of current world affairs in which the winning team moves on to a regional and national competition.  This is a student led club in which all the officers are democratically elected by the membership.  All students from any grade level are welcome to become a member at anytime during the current academic year.

Advisor: Dave Titterington

National Art Honor Society at Westlake High School recognizes high achievement in Art courses.  Members of National Art Honor Society are expected to demonstrate leadership, character and advocate bringing art to the community.

Requirements:

• Nominated by teacher/member
• GPA 3.0 or higher
• Westlake Sophomore, Junior or Senior
• Have successfully taken 3 or more art classes

Advisor: Kelly Atkinson

National French Honors Society is an organization open to Juniors and Seniors in French 3 or higher.  Members of NFHS are asked to help with French Club events throughout the year as well.  Students are eligible to apply in the spring based on academic achievement in all subject areas and their commitment to continue with upper level French as a Senior.

Advisors: Laura Behanic & Elizabeth Zingales

• • • Induction is held once a year, in the fall, for both juniors and seniors.
    • Juniors and seniors with a 3.5 cumulative GPA will receive a letter informing them that they are eligible to submit information to the Faculty Selection Committee.
    • The Faculty Selection Committee convenes to consider the information provided by each student regarding his/her service and leadership activities. The information provided to the faculty (service page, leadership page, and faculty letters of recommendation) is anonymous.

• • Membership is only available to students who are actively involved in their school, church, and/or community. Being involved does not guarantee an invitation to join. It is the prerequisite.
  • The national guidelines emphasize that all four areas are to be fulfilled. The “leadership” component is often the most difficult. The Westlake High School Faculty Selection Committee requires that leadership must be demonstrated through strong faculty recommendations along with documented leadership positions held throughout high school. The committee looks at the number of hours invested in each activity. Invitations to join are offered to those students whom they feel have gone above and beyond average participation.
  • To receive a strong leadership recommendations from the faculty, it is encouraged that each student participate actively in class every day, demonstrate good conflict resolution skills, and serve as a role model to others.
  • Schools differ widely in their approach to NHS. Some require only that a certain GPA be achieved. Inclusion is then automatic. Westlake requires documented evidence of service and leadership activities throughout the first three years of high school. Students meeting the grade point criteria will receive all information needed in the fall of their juniors and senior year.

Advisor: Kelly Atkinson

The goal of the club is to expose and introduce students, grades 9 through 12, to the working of the medical/health field.  Meet either bi-weekly and/or monthly to discuss current topics in my classroom C-114, medical practices, careers, attending seminars or workshops involving future of health care for high school students, and work on inviting medical professionals to come to the high school and be a guest speaker.

Advisor: Keith Ohnhaus

Project Support is a school sponsored club for students with and without disabilities. The students plan typical social activities outside of the school day. The purpose of the group is to allow students with disabilities to participate in age-appropriate social activities in a safe environment. Activities include, but are not limited to, attending a WHS football games, WHS musical, after school dances, etc. The group plans approximately 1-2 activities per quarter.

Advisors: Rachael Kane & Katie McGlynn

Advisor: Shanti Coaston

The Westlake Science Olympiad Team (grades 6–12) features nearly 100 students competing in over 25 STEM events. With a successful track record of over 20 years, including many Regional wins and State Top 10 placements, the team emphasizes both teamwork and community involvement.  Our motto is "Friends never let friends science alone".

Please visit www.westlakesob.org for more information.

Advisor: Erin Baesel

The Shakespeare Club is a student-run group that performs their own edited versions of Shakespeare's plays. It is the only student directed theater troup in the Cleveland area and the students not only perform one play every year, but they also compete in the National Shakespeare Monologue Compeition every February. This club works with professional actors from Great Lakes Theater in preparation for their performances. It is fun and interactive and everyone is welcome!

Advisor: Ann Hasenohrl

2022-2023 Ski Club Information

Ski & Snowboard Club is a five-week program offered to students in grades 6-12 and will take place this year at Brandywine Ski Resort. Seniors who are over the age of 18 are not eligible to participate due to BMBW rules. The Club skis Fridays: January 13, 20, 27, Feb 3 and 10. To learn about this year’s program, please plan to attend a mandatory parent meeting on Thursday, November 10th at 6:30pm in the WHS Performing Arts Center. This is the first step towards registering your child. Please make arrangements to attend. Can’t make the meeting? Please contact your child’s advisor to set up an individual meeting after November 10th:

Mrs. Pado (DIS) PadoK@wlake.org

Ms. Dawson (LBMS) DawsonD@wlake.org

Mrs. McNamara (WHS)  McNamara@wlake.org

REFUNDS

The following refund policy will be adhered to:

●      Once money is collected, there will be NO REFUNDS for any reason, including student removal from the Club due to disciplinary reasons invoked by the school advisor, BMBW Ski Patrol or management.

●      If an injury should occur you can apply for a refund from BMBW. Restrictions apply. See their website for details.

This club is for students interested in participating in Spanish cultural events and promoting learning spanish language and culture at WHS. We participate in the Homecoming Parade and  Halloween Fun Night and do a variety of other activities such as a charity sale of handmade bracelets benefiting a village in Guatemala, a club fundraiser through Glow Scented Candles, and other student led activities like Zumba, salsa competitions, fiestas, and participating in Diversity Week in the spring. Students are not required to speak spanish or be enrolled in Spanish class to join.

Advisors: Claudia Blaha & Paige Bower & Abby Heller

La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica at Westlake High School recognizes high achievement in Spanish courses. Members of La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica are expected to demonstrate leadership, character, and advocate for the Spanish Language and Culture. Members of this society must be a junior or senior who have an overall GPA of a 3.5 or higher, a B+ average in all Spanish courses, and plan on continuing their Spanish education.

Advisor: Paige Bower

Student Council consists of representatives for each grade 9-12 as well as elected senior officers.  As a group, student council plans homecoming and all the surrounding activities from the parade to the dance. Student council is also in charge of pep rallies, Class Olympics, spirt week and other school spirit activities.  We also plan Halloween Fun Night which is a school wide community service event. It involves all clubs and is attended by over 500 members of the community. 

Each individual class student council is run by separate grade level officers and the goal of the class student council is to raise money for senior prom.   Each class plans the location and details of prom.  Student council has a place for everyone. You can choose to be part of school spirit planning or prom fundraising.  Each member can focus on his or her area of interest. 

Advisor: Mindy Clark

Students that join the TechMates Club find that there is always something to do and something for everyone if you are interested in discovering your creative capacities.  Members are involved in many exciting contests and special events throughout the year, as well as countless other enriching activities, service projects, and field trips.   It’s a must-do for all future architects, engineers, designers, inventors, makers, builders, contractors, entrepreneurs, technicians, drone pilots, and artisans in our school.

Simply put, designing, doing, creating, and making are what our students learn about and engage in.  Hundreds of our former students are studying now in college as well as professionals in the fields of Architecture, Engineering, Design, Construction, Aviation, and Technology.

Meeting times: Quarterly  

Advisor: Adam Purdy

WHBS TV is Westlake High School’s news station.  We are a fully functioning TV station, where we write, produce, direct, and edit complete video productions.   On-camera performing opportunities and sports announcing is also offered.  We produce a weekly news magazine show, and film numerous live, multi-camera sports events, musical concerts and plays.

Advisor: Les Szekely

Yearbook Club is a student-focused publication club where members work together to collaboratively build the WHS yearbook each year. Yearbook Club meets once a week after school to work on the yearbook, plan page designs, and arrange the pictures taken by the school photographer.

Advisor: Leia Crew