By: Sarah Sheinker, Opinions Editor
As many high school students age they start to form political opinions and seek an outlet to voice their views in a positive and constructive manner. River Hill is amongst numerous high schools across the country with politically affiliated clubs. Up until recently, River Hill was not representing one of the two major political parties in the United States, the Republican party.
Despite the fact that Maryland is a blue state, there are plenty of Republicans students who feel the need and have the right to be represented. Austin Weyland, president of the Young Republicans Club, and other founders “wanted a way to openly exchange ideas, find more information, share their opinions, and highlight questions that are fundamental to contemporary political discourse without serious backlash from others.“
Although students enjoy divulging in conversations about video games or the upcoming ravens game, students also need a place to conversethe about multiplex subject manner in a safe environment. Founders say, “There are many advantages to discussing complex topics with other people and we seek to utilize them. The club is designed to intellectually challenge other right-leaning students, generate a comfortable community of peers with similar interests, provide a model for healthy political conversations, and provide insight on the political issues of today. “
While the founders of the club are extremely important, the members are also a major contributor the the club’s success. When asked why they joined the club members responded with “I joined the club because I wanted to learn more about politics and share my views with others.” and “I wanted to explore my various political options at a high school level. I enrolled in Young Democrats at the beginning of its term and I also enrolled in Young Republicans at the beginning of its term. These two clubs, while polar opposites, provide me a new option for thinking differently.”
Members were also asked what they feel they would get out of being a member of the Young Republicans club. One anonymous member answered with “By being a member, I get to share my ideas with other members, learn about different views and policies, and have interesting debates.” Another member added, “I feel that I will receive much guidance in my life and some insight from other people and how the party applies to them,” and another anonymous member said they would get “Education really. Being forced to make a point means you have to learn the statistics alongside the social arguments, which definitely makes the conversation more interesting.”
Finally, they were asked to describe their favorite part of the club. Members replied with “My favorite part of the club is that I get to be a part of in-depth discussions and learn about political ideas,” and “My favorite part is definitely the people, they are what make up ideas and inspire others.”
River Hill is a diverse community that has so many different opportunities and experiences. With the addition of the Young Republicans club, River Hill now reflects the true political atmosphere of the United States.