The Young Republican club was reestablished as the year drew to an end, with Social Studies teacher Kevin Curtin as its sponsor.
“We had 33 people show up the very first meeting which I thought was astounding. We thought maybe at most 15,” said sophomore Noah Adler, who reinstated the club with sophomores Jack Button, Paul Plawin, and Nicholas Gariepy.
The club hosted a debate between the Young Democrats yesterday during Learn on the issues of the Israel and Palestine conflict and gun control.
The club also plans to host guest speakers and keep the members up to date about the Republican party and politicians.
Young Republican club member and senior Michael Gracia joined because he felt that the Republican party deserves more attention.
“I don’t think that the conservative Republicans have a voice in this school,” Gracia said.
The club will try to establish roles, elect officers, organize events and appoint someone who could contact politicians. Officer elections will happen at the beginning of next year.
“I like the attention that it brings to the Republicans that it otherwise would not come to the attention of the students,” Gracia said.
The club aims to help students find a personal ideology as well as bring awareness to different viewpoints.
“We just want to make individuals here at Marshall aware of what they believe in. A lot of times when they go to college they don’t know what to believe in and what kind of ideologies are out there. And here, especially in high school, people are more susceptible to what they believe in. It’s a great time to explore,” Adler said.
The club also wants to discard the stereotypes around being Republican and bring diversity, to the group
“I think that people see Republicans as stereotypically white and rich people and we just want to make sure that this is not always the case and to bring diversity to the club,” Adler said.