From community service to bible study our school has a variety of choices in extracurriculars, now included in that list is a club meant to build up students’ self esteem. Sophomore Sanet Vaquez started the Confidence Club to give students a safe place to just be themselves.

The Colt: What is Confidence Club?

SV: Confidence is a place where you can literally just be yourself, and we as a group get to encourage each other to stay ourselves for the rest of our lives.

TC: What inspired you to begin the club?

SV: In personal experience I’ve always had trouble being myself through hard times, especially through bullying in elementary school. I found out though a couple of years ago, that it’s better to be yourself then change and go into other groups, it’s better to be just you.

TC: What are your goals for the club?

SV: I want this club to be a very encouraging place for people to be themselves.

TC: How can students join?

SV: Students can join by simply showing up, they don’t need to pay any fees or fill out anything.

TC: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

SV: In this club I want to make very clear that no one is just an object. I’ve noticed for the past few weeks that people have been telling me, “Oh this person treats me like an object”. Here you’re a person, you’re your own person, if no can accept that then their loss. Here you’re a person who’s encouraged to be yourself, if there are flaws you have or things you want to get better at, here’s the perfect place to do it.

Math teacher Bryant McClendon volunteered to sponsor the club because he feels the meaning behind it is important.

TC: Why did you decide to become a sponsor for this club?

BM: I had a student share their desire to start Confidence Club during good things and she said she needed a sponsor. She’s a good student, a good person, and I believe in investing in good people so I thought I’d support her and her club.

TC: Why do you think we need this club on our campus?

BM: I think the whole vision that Sanet had was getting kids comfortable with themselves and not feeling like they have to fit into a group or feel like they have to change. A lot of times I see kids do things that maybe their moral and conscience are telling them not to but yet they do it because they get into a group, they fall into that peer pressure. I think the idea behind being confident in yourself to say, “Hey, you know, I am who I am and I’m not going to do that just to try and fit in”, I think that’s important in this age group to learn that.

Freshman Jacob Muskrat, sophomore Keeno Theadford and senior Etoria Davis are among the first members of the club.

TC: Why’d you decide to join Confidence Club?

JM: I decided to join Confidence Club because to be honest, I really need confidence and I feel like I don’t have enough of it.

ED: I joined because I simply thought it would help my confidence in certain areas. At my other school, mostly throughout 2017, my self confidence kind of lowered and I’ve been struggling to gain it back so just thought I’d join people in the same place as me with their confidence.

KT: I joined Confidence Club because I believe that everybody in life has confidence, it just might not be that good. I’m trying to get people to improve their confidence and to do stuff where they don’t hesitate.

Confidence Club meets from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. every Wednesday in E203. All are welcome.