High School Clubs & Activities

The ACE mentor Program is a program set up to give kids exposure to Architecture, Engineering and Construction.  ACE will send speakers each week to talk about each topic and food will be provided. The ACE mentoring can lead to internships and jobs within the Cleveland area.

Club members meet new people while exploring different art mediums, including mediums perhaps not explored in an art class. Previous group projects have included a Photo Booth backdrop and a banner for Parade the Circle.

Come socialize, share, and snack.  Each club will meet once monthly after school.

• Traditional Book Club: Student selected titles, where everyone reads the same book and discusses.  Books provided by the Library, and there may be opportunities for projects or watching movies
• Choose Your Own Book Book Club: Everyone reads their own book, and shares with the group.  Possible projects may be to create your own book "trailer," or "review"
• Silent Book Club:  Silent reading, no discussion (unless you want to!)

Cheerleaders support and cheer on Shaker's athletic teams as well as take part in community events. In addition, the cheerleaders compete in their sport and volunteer for community service throughout Cleveland.

Chess club offers an opportunity to compete and participate in a mental game that develops focus and concentration. The club also helps create team and group unity. Coach Reeves does a great job bringing out the best in each participant.

Creative Writing Club is a place and time for students to creatively express themselves through writing, whether it be poetry, rap, spoken word, short fiction.  The atmosphere is a laid back, coffeehouse-style club where members share their creative works, enhance their writing skills with innovative prompts and games.  All genres and experience levels are welcome.

Generate your character and join the quest! We go pretty strictly by the book.

The main purpose of the Engineering Club is to engage students in engineering. Students have opportunities to research, design, build, test, and present engineering projects; complete design challenges; work on the club's Go Kart; compete in STEM competitions such as VEX Robotics, Project Paradigm, and the Source America Design Challenge; develop computer code; and much more. All are welcome and you do not have to be an engineering expert to join!

Our goal is to spread awareness of environmental concerns and help to make sure our high school is doing all we can to be green. We support locally grown foods by going fruit picking in the fall, we collect waste to be recycled and we help with trash clean ups and invasive species removal throughout the year.  Club members also work to educate elementary school students about the environment.

Advisor: Mr. K. Szalay
Advisor Email: szalay_k@shaker.org 
Meetings: Everyday, Room 253B 3:15p - 5:00p
How to Join: Open

The SHHS fencing club offers students the opportunity to learn a new sport, or an opportunity to participate in fencing for those already involved.

Advisor: Mr. Peake
Advisor Email: peake_d@shaker.org
Meetings: TBD
How to join: Open

The Film Club is an organization focusing on the production of films through all areas of the industry. We learn the basics of screenwriting, filmmaking, and post production through collaborative projects and lessons with peers. We take these skills and apply them through the creation of independent films to be entered in multiple high school film festivals. For more information please refer to the club website.

French cultural exchange program.  Students host French students every other year, and travel to France during the non-hosting years.

SEEDS stands for Service, Environmental Education, Diversity, and Sustainability. Our club does a variety of activities, including working in the school garden and cooking with healthy local foods. We make natural products and crafts such as candles, paper, lip gloss, and more. Students can work on service projects and earn CAS credit.

GSA is an all-inclusive safe space for all LGBT students, teachers and straight allies (everyone!). Club members meet once a week to discuss various topics ranging from sexual orientation to gender identity. The GSA provides all students with a safe, welcoming space in which to build community and plan activities that will help expand that space school-wide.

The German club supports a lively and fun student-run organization with full a schedule of events.  Some of these include taking over the cafeteria to bake pretzels, celebrating German holidays, planting cabbages in the Learning Garden, German karaoke night, German film nights, New Year’s lead melting, FIFA tournaments, and more.

Advisor: Mrs. Coffey
Advisor Email: coffey_m@shaker.org
Meetings: TBD
How to join: Open

Global Friendship Club is a social and service club designed to build relationships among AFS students, other international students who reside in Shaker, and Shaker students. The goals are to foster a strong international community, build relationships, and enjoy the global community that is Shaker.

Our sister city, Goslar, is a historic village in the Harz Mountains of Central Germany. As participants in this program, the students spend over two weeks in Goslar staying with German host families. There they will attend classes and take field trips to local sights such as the Wolfsburg Volkswagen Autostadt, the 400-meter deep Bergbau Museum, and the imperial residence Kaiserpfalz. Students will also take two extended trips by train, the first to Berlin and the second to Munich. During these trips, they will stay in youth hostels and visit points of cultural interest, including world-class art museums, the remains of the Berlin Wall, and Mad King Ludwig's famous Castle, Neuschwanstein. Participating students earn one semester credit in German independent study.      

Club members meet each week to play improv games and rehearse for shows throughout the year. Everyone is welcome to this club, whether you’re trying to make friends or perform for an audience.  We practice and perform short and long from improvisational games. Students develop teamwork, character development, miming and comedic timing. 

Club members explore, discuss, and taste the cultures of Israel. Students also have the opportunity to speak with Israelis to better connect with their culture.

Junior Statesmen of America is the nation's largest student-run, non-partisan organization promoting both civic education and activism initiatives. JSA's mission is to strengthen American democracy by educating and preparing high school students for life-long involvement and responsible leadership in a democratic society.

All things Classical! Fellowship, food, fun, service opportunities, games, Ohio Junior Classical League activities connecting Latin students across the state in academic, graphic arts, creative and dramatic arts, certamen and service. We also participate in the annual National Junior Classical League convention as well as triennial international trips. Come as often as you can but stay classy!

A group of minority men devoted to promoting excellence in both academic and extracurricular achievements.  Junior and Senior African American males are interviewed and selected to become mentors to 9th and 10th grade African American males. The goal is to encourage school achievement for the younger students and to provide a leadership opportunity for Juniors and Seniors who are high achieving. Meetings are planned and implemented by the Junior and Senior Scholars.

The Minority Achievement Committee (MAC) Sister Scholars program is designed to encourage young women to reach their full potential as students and young women in the high school community and beyond. We seek to create a sisterhood of goal-orientated students who can support each other and be role models to other girls. Our monthly meeting topics vary but annually include: Preparing for Finals, Post-Secondary Planning, Talking to Your Teachers, and many other personal-interest topics that are relevant to the girls.

The club develops an interactive relationship between the Shaker educational community and the Hispanic community in Cleveland. It strives to foster, encourage and recognize the efforts of senior students whose leadership is essential in developing and maintaining this cross-cultural experience.

Math Club is a place where students can discuss interesting math problems with other students who share a passion for mathematics. Members of math club also have the opportunity of participating in multiple math contests over the course of the year. Any student is welcome, regardless of their math experience or class level.

Club members compete against other schools, imitating lawyers in a court case. No knowledge of the law is required and anyone is welcome.

The NHD club is designed for sophomores, juniors and seniors who are planning to compete at the regional level and beyond in the National History Day Club. We meet to work on projects, collect forms, and prepare for interviews.

In the summer of 2020, five Shaker students came together to create a chapter of PERIOD: the menstrual movement in Shaker. Operating as a high school club and community organization, PERIOD Shaker Heights has raised funds to provide community members with menstrual products. Here is the Google Form to request menstrual products! No information will be shared and products will be delivered no questions asked!  -PERIOD Shaker Heights

Poetry Out Loud encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life.

Political Action Club is a safe space for those interested in politics, regardless of your political views.  The club discusses ideas and finds ways to constructively discuss political differences while volunteering at several political organizations around the community to expose students to a myriad of perspectives.  PAC is a great place to develop a sense of bi-partisanship among peers during a period of extreme division in our nation.   

The Raiderettes are the dance team associated with the marching band. They are considered part of the band. Raiderettes perform at all of the football games, they have a featured dance as well as perform alongside the band in The opening and closing numbers. It is a highly selective group and it is an honor to be invited to be a Raiderette!

The purpose of the rock climbing club is to introduce new people to rock climbing and giving those who already climb a group to climb with. After School Rock Climbing Club aims to bring students together for serious fun.  Each nine-week session starts with a belay class.  The second week teaches bouldering risks & tips.  Each week highlights gym etiquette and the essentials of risk management so students can top-rope together and boulder with confidence. Rental gear is included.

*For students who receive free or reduced-price lunches, please see Ms. Roberts. Climbing is for everyone and we have scholarships available!  EVERY STUDENT MUST HAVE A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN SIGN A WAIVER TO PARTICIPATE. Waiver will be distributed to students by advisor.

Shaker Heights HS RFC is one of 10 rugby clubs that play 15 a-side rugby in the North East Ohio Rugby League. Depending on our record we could qualify for the post-season state tournament. There are also two short 7 a-side seasons in the late fall and early summer depending on student interest. It is our hope that the interest in rugby continues to grow at Shaker Heights HS as more high schools join the league and more opportunities for college funding and scholarships arise.

Shaker's Sankofa show takes place at the end of black history month, showcasing the talents of students through dance, song, spoken word, and drama. Sankofa celebrates African American history while raising awareness of social issues in the black community.  The performances for this school year are March 2nd and 3rd, 2018.

The SAY Club is for students who are interested in making a difference at school and in their community. Students will gain leadership skills by working on projects, presentations, and campaigns that raise awareness on teen related issues. Students will also be invited to the SAY Student Leadership Council at Bellefaire JCB where they will join other high school students from the Cleveland area to share information and work together regarding the positive impact teens can have to promote change.

Science Olympiad is a student run club that competes in regional and state sanctioned competitions.   Students can choose from several events in which to compete in areas that range across all scientific disciplines.  Students are expected to attend meetings to learn the rules of their events, practice and refine their event skills, and attend all competitions for which the team registers.

Semanteme is the high school's creative arts magazine. Students are considered "staff" and partake in some of the following activities: plan contests and coffee houses, advertise for submissions, judge art and literature submissions, and plan layout of publication.  During the weeks of production, attendance is required and students must stay each night as late as necessary, no later than 7:00 pm.  Passing out of the new edition of Semanteme is a source of pride and celebration for the staff.  Commitment to remain in the club through production weeks is required.

Shaker Heights High School’s Student Group on Race Relations (SGORR) was founded in 1983 by a group of students who saw that friendships forged between black and white students in elementary school began to dissolve as students entered the seventh and eighth grade. In order to try to preserve black-white friendships throughout middle school and high school, SGORR students created and facilitated a personal development and diversity education curriculum for sixth-grade students. Today, with over 250 high school students trained as facilitators each year, the organization has expanded its influence from just sixth-grade classrooms to reach more diverse audiences. Through student-led community forums on issues such as racial achievement gaps, injustices in the criminal justice system, and privilege, SGORR seeks to initiate and sustain dialogues about human relations and social justice, while giving any student, faculty, or community member a platform to be heard. In addition, SGORR members help to equip younger students from Shaker Heights’ fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth grades with the vocabulary and tools to address and discuss racial or other social issues that they perceive in their schools or society. SGORR students also travel to other school districts and venues to facilitate activities that educate about diversity and promote inclusive environments.

In the Fall we row as a club to teach new students the basics of rowing and compete in three or four races. In the Spring we row as a varsity sport. 

Club members come up with solutions to world problems and problems in a country they are assigned. We travel twice a year to compete against other high schools in diplomatic debate to teach students how to compromise on global issues like terrorism, nuclear disarmament, and the environment. 

Youth Council is a community-based youth organization that offers a variety of community service and positive development activities and events throughout the calendar year. The Youth Council is a component of the Shaker My Com Youth Initiative which has been in existence for nine consecutive years, it provides an opportunity for youth to have a "voice" in their community. 

Shaker Heights HS Stage Crew serves as a student based support group for the HS Theater Department under the supervision of the HS Auditorium Manager/Technical Director. Meetings or work calls are generally held on Saturdays in the Fall to work on the Fall Play by learning about technical theater techniques and tools, building and painting scenery, working on prop construction, hanging and focusing stage lights, and other related jobs. Members of Stage Crew who regularly attend work calls and show dedication and commitment to the process are invited to work on the Production Running Crews for the HS Theater season serving in various positions like Light Board and Sound Board Operator, Props Crew and Shift Crew on productions like the Fall Play, the New Stages one act festival, the Spring Play and the Ensemble show among others. Stage Crew is open to any Shaker student who has an interest in learning about what goes on behind the scenes of a Shaker theatrical production!

STEM Ambassadors is a student-led group that focuses on creating more equity within STEM in the Shaker Heights School District. We find creative solutions to connect with elementary and Woodbury students in order to make STEM more accessible.

Student Council is a group of student leaders who provide a structured voice for Shaker High students.  The group fundraises for and organize school functions, as well as promotes school spirit.  Students are each elected by their class for a position on Council.  

Student Leadership Team is a group of students from diverse backgrounds and grade levels, who bridge the gap between the student body and the principal, involving issues that affect our high school community.  The club usually meets bi-weekly with each other, or different individuals in the administration, to discuss a variety of topics and plan action steps after them.  

The Superintendent's Student Advisory Committee (SSAC) was formed to hear students’ perspectives on their Shaker Heights Schools experience and suggest improvements. The SSAC advocates for students in the District, provides the Superintendent with student perspectives on District issues and assists in the development of solutions to District challenges.  All High School students are eligible to apply and members are selected by a peer interview process. The application and interview process occurs each fall.

Service on the SSAC is an important commitment and honor. Members are expected to attend the council’s monthly meeting and participate in the council’s projects and activities

The Takitori Exchange is a program associated with the Asian Studies course taught on Wednesday evenings at the high school. Shaker Heights High School and Takitori Kokusai High School in Japan have maintained a relationship for nearly 30 years. Students at Shaker and Takitori are given the opportunity to travel to Japan and the United States to fully immerse themselves in the culture through a homestay.

In Take Action, high school students go to various elementary schools once a week and tutor children at the request of elementary teachers and principals. Over the course of the year, high school students build relationships with their elementary school counterparts. They help them with reading, math, and any other subject as is helpful.

The Shakerite is the nationally-regarded student news organization of Shaker Heights High School and by Board of Education policy, is an open forum for student expression.   

Shaker Theatre hosts several different co-curricular activities in addition to its daily class offerings. Co-curricular activities include Theatre Social, Ensemble Preview, Fall Play, Fall Musical, Solstice Sharings, 9th Grade Show, New Stages, Spring Ensemble Show, Theatre Awards, Improv (listed above), Stage Crew (listed above), Shakespeare Competition and more.

Women's Studies Club is a discussion based club that centers around units pertaining to Women's Studies. For example, intersectionality and feminism around the globe are two units. At times we have guest speakers and we plan fun activities; we also have snacks at each meeting. It is a good place for students to make their voices heard and get to know their peers, as they explore various women's issues as they affect the world at large and individuals themselves.

The first three days of our tour will be spent in London to explore locations such as The Tower of London, the London Eye, Churchill’s War Rooms, the Globe Theater (including attending a performance of a Shakespeare play), the Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and a journey through London at night. Then we spend nine days in homestays with Worthing host families in the West Sussex County of southeastern England. An hour and a half from London, Worthing and its sister city of Brighton are considered the Riviera of England. From our first walking tour of Worthing, we will explore Arundel Castle (circa 1067) and the “pomp and circumstance” of Brighton Pavilion. Touring other parts of Southeastern England, we travel to Portsmouth to see the British Naval Museum, including Henry VIII’s prize ship The Mary Rose. Our travels also take us to locations such as Windsor Castle (the favorite summer home of the current royal family), Canterbury, the Roman ruins of the community of Chichester, Stonehenge, and even Harry Potter Studios! 

YEH club members help feed the less fortunate by making regular trips to soup kitchens and the Hospice of the Western Reserve.  We are a volunteer club that helps make the world a better place!