It is important that everyone at New Hartford High School has a friend, the Spartan 2 Spartan club ensures just that!
Spartan 2 Spartan is a club unique to New Hartford High School that helps any students, including the students who are in the BOCES classroom, build relationships with peers they might not otherwise interact with at school. Through the club, students build friendships and have fun. The club meets twice a month and at these meetings they provide a themed lunch. At these lunch-ins, the club members talk, play games, do puzzles, and complete art projects. Within the club, they form “Spartan Families,” each family dedicating time getting to know one another and establishing how they can support each other.
Spartan 2 Spartan’s club advisor is Ms. Pearlman, a math teacher and alumna of New Hartford. Fun Fact: when Ms. Pearlman went to high school at New Hartford, she was a member of Spartan 2 Spartan, which makes her the perfect person to advise the club.
“I wanted to be an advisor of Spartan 2 Spartan because I feel very passionately about inclusion and acceptance and I wanted to help create opportunities for students of all abilities to form friendships at school,” Ms. Pearlman said. She feels that, “Spartan 2 Spartan helps make sure that everybody has a friend to spend time with and eat lunch with,” which does truly make an impact on our school community.
Ms. Pearlman shared about the future plans for the club: “We are hoping to gain new members and spread awareness that the club is here at school and is a place where all students can come to meet new people.”
Spartan 2 Spartan partakes in many activities that help the New Hartford community. Last year, the club held a winter clothing drive during the holiday season. They collected many boxes of gently used or new, winter boots, hats, coats, gloves, and any other winter clothes which they donated to the Rescue Mission of Utica. The Club officers for the school year of 2023-2024, Kate Schiavi, Caitlin Alt, Maddie Lynch, and Julia Albano brought the winter clothes to the Utica Rescue Mission in January 2024. The Club will hold another clothing drive this winter with hopes to bring even more winter clothes.
In the spring of 2024, the club sponsored a school-wide penny war that raised $1,911.00 for the Kelberman Center- an organization that provides autism support services to many people in our community.
This year, the clubs officers are Julia Albano-President, Caitlin Alt-Vice President, Maddie Lynch-Treasurer, Addie Delmedico-Secretary, and Riley Heenan-Social Media Manager.
Tresauer for Spartan 2 Spartan, Maddie Lynch says she’s learned a lot from this position.
“I’ve learned and gained beneficial knowledge on keeping track of funds, and more importantly working alongside the other officers to plan events and keep everything running smoothly,” Maddie said.
Some of Lynch’s favorite memories include the field trips the club takes at the end of the year.
“ When I was a sophomore we went to the Root Farm, which was really fun because we did team bonding exercises and got to be outside all day. When I was a junior we went to the Utica Zoo which was a really fun experience because it was very heartwarming to see how much joy the trip brought to the other students, seeing the other animals was enjoyable as well.” Maddie said, adding that she is also excited for the field trip this year, as it will be her last one since she is a senior.
The Spartan 2 Spartan club meetings are filled with fun activities and good times. Usually there are treats brought in for the members to enjoy while playing games (like kahoots and board games) and getting to know each other. Around the holidays, the club will have themed lunches for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the winter holiday season.
Kaitryn Pelink-Wadsworth, a junior, says, “Some of my favorite memories last year were the holiday parties, it really brings everyone together and we all have a great time.”
Everyone is welcome to join Spartan 2 Spartan. Its goal is to ensure that every student has a friend and gets to have fun at school. This club brings joy to many students at the high school.If you are a student looking to join, the club meets every other Thursday either in the Spartan Study Hall room or the Spartan Seminar room. Please stop by Ms. Pearlman’s classroom to get the club’s Google Classroom code to access all the logistical information you need to know. Also if you have any questions about the club the officers and Ms. Pearlman would be happy to help out and answer them.
