Is it normal underclassman timidness? A decline in club excitement? Lack of leadership? Or something else entirely? Throughout the 2023-24 school year, we have seen a limited presence in the school community from the freshman class. Although it is not uncommon for incoming highschoolers to be apprehensive in their new commitments, the Class of ’27 has shown increasing apathy towards activities. The most prominent example is club involvement. This year especially, clubs are made up of a majority of upperclassmen, with little to no freshmen whatsoever.
I had a chance to talk to Señora Mata, club sponsor for Cooper Interact, who says, “For the past 7 years, the Interact club had a membership of close to 100 students; usually about a quarter of those have been freshmen. This year, only 14 freshmen enrolled, and only 6 of them participated in a service activity. This is extremely rare.” When asked why she believes freshmen have been hesitant in their participation, she went on to say, “I have to wonder if they are not aware of how important these activities are and how valuable their participation is. At Interact, we have even created freshman-only events so that their spots would be guaranteed, but unfortunately, this has not increased participation.” She made sure to note that there are some select freshmen taking advantage of the opportunities in Interact, explaining that “These students now have an upper hand since their resumes show that they did not waste any time taking full advantage of the Cooper experience; they are learning from the upperclassmen and making stronger bonds within the community.”
Señora Mata emphasized the importance of freshmen in every club, highlighting their ability to bring in fresh energy and ideas. She discussed how through clubs, “new students get the full Cooper experience and an opportunity to try new things and engage with a broad range of people, ranging from faculty, administration, and other students and leaders in The Woodlands community.”
In our own Dragon Tales club, we currently don’t have any freshman staff writers, limiting our perspective and ability to voice the entire student body. Beyond clubs, freshmen have been hesitant to dress up for spirit activities, participate in the annual Dragon Dance festivities, and engage with school-organized events. The last week in February, the yearly celebration of International Week took place. It commenced on Monday with a flag parade, designed to showcase our diverse and growing student body. While it boasted an impressive number of countries, the board of the international club voiced their disappointment at the lack of freshman representation, which could have brought even more student identity to the forefront.
Not all hope is lost, however. There are certainly many freshmen eager to make an impact in the Cooper community, who may just need time and encouragement to branch out of comfort. Club leaders, teachers, and upperclassmen alike are hopeful for the Class of 2028 and look forward to an engaging school year next fall, with emerging leadership from the rising sophomores.
