Students Making a Difference

Santa Barbara High School (SBHS) does a wonderful job at having all-inclusive clubs around campus. The student-run clubs range from Woodshop Club to Students for Survivors, making every student feel welcomed and appreciated. 

The Mental Health Awareness Club at SBHS, run by sophomores Jules Horton and Yesenia Dunn, inherited their club by former SBHS students, Lexi Horton and Caroline Rogers, to end the stigma around mental health. President of the club, Jules says, “We have different ways to help students who are struggling, we’ve brought therapy dogs to school to help bring students’ energy up. I think our club definitely builds community around campus, we’ve gotten lots of new members this year and we’ve gotten to know each other. Our club tries to keep activities during school hours because we know people have busy lives and we want everyone to feel included and join us!” 

Black Student Union (BSU), a club made to foster black solidarity and allyship on campus. President of the BSU club, A’xela Ritchie, says, “I joined the Black Student Union because I felt like every student should have a voice and should be heard. Especially because students of color get overlooked and that changes the development of our communities.” Vice President Senyo Wojogbe says, “I joined the club because there should be more appreciation for Black students. BSU creates a sense of community on campus for students to come to our meetings and feel like they’re a part of something bigger.”

All clubs at Santa Barbara High School have one goal: to make every student feel welcome and comfortable being themselves. As a way to make SBHS more inclusive, students started the Gay-Straight Alliance Club, also known as the GSA Club. Vice President Joline Linder-Pulliam said, “Our club is incredibly important for students to feel like they have a safe space, especially as a minority. Everyone in our club is very supportive and welcoming. I think it’s a great space for people to meet each other and share their experiences with people who can relate. I became the Vice President because I’ve been running the club for a few years now and when the previous president left, I felt the need to play a bigger part in the club.”