Activities & Clubs

Coaches: Melanie Schmidt and Matt Moore

Debate is a combined Mankato East/Mankato West program that is open to all students in grades 9-12 who desire to improve their communication and persuasion skills in a competitive environment. The debate team participates in approximately 15 individual tournaments throughout the state from October to January. Experienced debaters represent West in the Region, State and National Forensic League tournaments in February. Competition on a national level is also available for qualifying students. Students are encouraged to enroll in the introduction to Debate and the Debate Team classes as preparation for participation in the extracurricular debate program. Students planning careers in law, politics and management will find debate to be a valuable experience in the development of research, reasoning, analysis and speech skills. 

Advisor: Ashley Hawker

The letters DECA mean Distributive Education Clubs of America. The word “distributive” refers to that part of marketing called retailing and wholesaling of goods and services. Since many of the students who are interested in entering this field of work take marketing in high school, a vocational club such as DECA is organized to provide these students with an opportunity to:

1. Improve their vocational skills outside of class through competitive events in these skills with other schools. 
2. Participate in projects that have social and civic values, as a group and as individuals.
3. Learn and practice leadership in a group, a skill which is not easily acquired in the classroom. 

DECA Club membership is open to all students who are currently enrolled in a Marketing class or who plan to be enrolled in a Marketing class. A five dollar ($5.00) annual membership fee for affiliation with state and national DECA organizations is collected at the beginning of the school year. 
 

Advisor: Claire Baker

Drama club is an organization open to students in grades 9-12 who are interested in the performing arts. Students involved in Drama Club attend monthly after-school meetings, work collaboratively with theatre students during the Fall and Spring plays, and organize and present the Senior Directed Play. Members are also encouraged to attend theatre-focused experiences throughout the year both with the club and on their own.  

Advisors: Micah Degner & Aaron Miller

Knowledge Bowl is an interdisciplinary academic competition involving teams of four to six students trying to answer questions in a written round and several oral rounds. No team is eliminated in this event, and every team participates in every round. Knowledge Bowl is usually a power competition in which team groupings are rearranged after each round on the basis of their total points accumulated.

Advisors: Kendra Hinz, Micah Degner & Dana Patenaude

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 class each spring 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. Link Crew increases freshmen success; more and more studies are showing that if students have a positive experience during their first year in high school, their chances for success are higher. The Link Crew high school transition program provides the structure for freshmen to receive support and guidance from juniors and seniors who have already gone through the challenges that high school poses, and understand that the transition to a larger school can sometimes be overwhelming.

Advisory: Tom Villagomez

The Peer Tutoring program provides an important opportunity for students at Mankato West to help others and learn about themselves. If you are interested in tutoring others while, at the same time, check out your own volunteer spirit, apply through your counselor. Follow the same procedure if you would like assistance to boost your success in a challenging course. Mankato West is very proud of its tutors, and we invite you to join them. 

Advisor: Dana Patenaude 

The League exists to identify students who have unusual mathematical ability, to give them recognition and encouragement, to bring them together with similarly gifted students, and to encourage the study of topics not commonly taught in the high school curriculum. League activities are designed to challenge students with high and unusual mathematical ability, but also seek to influence general mathematics education. We believe that a program for gifted students is shortsighted if it is not also developed in a way that strengthens mathematics education for all students.

Advisor: Matt Moore

The National Honor Society (NHS) is comprised of juniors and seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, character, leadership and service. To be eligible, students must initially have a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.5 and complete other membership requirements in the areas of character, leadership and service. Regular meetings will be held with emphasis placed on individual and chapter service projects. The minimum G.P.A must be maintained in order to continue membership.

Advisor: Heather Madison

Orchesis is the Mankato West Dance Team.  The team meets November through early January.  The students learn and perform multiple dances in our January showcase.  These dances are taught by the Senior leadership team and a few are choreographed by the students themselves.   

Advisor: Kristina Bollum

WHAT IS PROJECT FOR TEENS?
Project for Teens (P4T) is a student-led organization promoting healthy, responsible decision making.  While P4T members act as leaders to the entire Mankato community, the team focuses on teaching middle school students through role-playing and discussion.  Students involved in P4T can expect to grow individually and as a team, to have fun, and to make a difference in their community!  More information about P4T can be found at: projectforteens.org

P4T Application

Advisor: Sara Tostenson

The Prom Committee plans and prepares for the spring prom. Utilize your creative talents in choosing a Prom theme, and bringing the theme to life in the decorating and organization of this spring event. Duties include: prom theme selection, ordering supplies, designing and building props for the grand march, fundraising, decorating, organization of the event, setting up/taking down, collaborating in making The Mankato West Prom an event to remember.  

Advisor: Eric Koser

Science Club is an organization of people wanting to learn more about science, wanting to share their scientific knowledge and planning science-related careers.  The Science Club also operates our Youth Energy Summit or YES! team.  The YES! team works together to find environmental and energy related projects we can undertake to improve our school and community.  Learn more at YouthEnergySummit.org.

Advisors: Amanda Bomstad & Molly Fox

SHINE is an organization that promotes respect for diversity. It is a program devoted to increasing tolerance and understanding between social and ethnic groups at school. Activities include poster campaigns, cultural celebrations and social events. 

Advisor: Amanda Abel

Speech is an extracurricular activity open to any student in grades 9-12 interested in public speaking and interpretation of literature in a competitive environment. Students compete in the 13 speech events, sponsored by the Minnesota State High School League, including statewide invitational tournaments from February to April. Qualifying students are eligible to compete in the Section, State and National Forensic League tournaments in April. Opportunities also exist for students to compete on a national level.

Advisor: Claire Baker

The Mankato West Student Council is a student-run organization designed to give a voice to the student population at West. It provides an opportunity for students to work closely with their peers, their teachers, and their administration in making decisions that are important to them. Students who are a part of Student Council will develop leadership and organizational skills through the planning, management, and running of school events, including Subs on the Sidewalk, Homecoming, and Snow Week along with other events that serve our school and community while also being part of conversations led by our administrators regarding important school-related items. All students are welcome to become general members of Student Council. Students who would like to take on a more defined leadership role on the Student Council Executive Board can run as a class representative (2 students per grade level 9-12) in the fall or for experience-based officer positions (President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary) in the spring prior to the start of the new school year. Student Council is an excellent way for youth to become involved with their school, to air concerns, to find opportunities for social interaction, and to help others.

Advisor: Mark Zenk

The Vex Robotics Team allows students to reinforce their basic math, reading, and computer skills through design, construction, and programming of robots built to complete a task determined by the VEX Robotics company for a competition.  Students are responsible for the design and programming of a robot that must meet design parameters set by the VEX company. 

Advisor: Jesus Santiago

The Yearbook staff produces a pictorial and written review of the school year. Staff members interview and gather material for all aspects of academic, organizations, sports, and extracurricular activities. The Photography course is helpful, but not a necessary prerequisite. Yearbook is a semester-long course that meets during the regular school day. Editors are chosen either in the spring for the following year or early in the fall of the new school year.