Mariz Masoud is a senior here at FTHS. She was awarded the October Club Student of the Month for her leadership, dedication, and initiative in the Volleyball Club. According to her advisors Mrs. Cullen and Mrs. Alu, Mariz has gone above and beyond to set the club’s expectations, brainstorm ways to fundraise, and ensure that all members feel welcome. Mariz founded this club in order to give students the chance to play volleyball without needing a school team. Congratulations to Mariz on receiving Club Student of the Month and thank you to her for all that she does for this club!

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Here’s a look at my interview with Mariz:

Good Morning!

– Good Morning

Before we begin, congratulations on receiving Club Student of the Month!

–  Thank you!

How would you describe your initial response to hearing your name on the announcements?

– I was really happy and the first thing that came to my head was that it was for the volleyball club. I feel like I have been dedicated to this club in the past year.

Why do you believe that you were nominated and chosen for this award?

– Because our school didn’t have a volleyball team. So when I started the club, a lot of people were interested. The advisors for the club, Mrs. Cullen and Mrs. Alu, helped me work on it and it’s just been a really big project altogether. So I believe that I was picked for this award because of my dedication to this club.

What are some of your personal responsibilities as a member of this club? Do you have a specific leadership role?

– Basically, I am the founder of the club so my responsibilities are to set up all the dates by helping the advisors figure out what day’s work for everyone, update people in the Classroom, make sure I have enough like volleyballs and mats, and finally to figure out the attendance forms.

Besides your commitment to the volleyball club, what other activities are you involved in here at FTHS and beyond?

– I’m part of the Animal Botanical Science program so it really takes up like a big chunk of my time. I’m also a member of the medical club and I’m proud of the way I help the club. I’m not on the board for the medical club but I have always attended meetings and like to help out wherever I need to. These are the main extracurriculars that I focus on.

It’s so great to hear about your involvement in our school grounds! Continuing on, what would you say is the overall motive of this club?

– The motive of this club is to give people the chance to play volleyball since it’s not a sport for the school. This club gives students the chance to put their talents somewhere else and be involved in a sport without needing it to be a school team.

Do you believe this club has shaped you or given you new skills of any sort?

– I think this club has helped give me leadership opportunities because obviously I’m running it on my own and I have some of the sophomores helping me to take over after I graduate. I have so many responsibilities like making sure everyone is updated on meetings and how many we’ll have. So overall I feel this club has helped develop better leadership skills for me.

What advice would you give to a new student entering the building next year?

– The biggest advice that I can give is to get involved as much as possible. I feel like it’s scary being a freshman and trying to figure things out for yourself and join clubs, especially when you don’t know the people in it. Despite that, it’s the best way to meet people and it’s also very good for showing colleges how you’re involving yourself in all these extracurricular activities. It’s also just a great feeling to be involved in school activities and it can really help you grow as a person and student.

To conclude, is there anything you would like to add or say to your fellow students and staff?

– I like to say to all the students that they should join the volleyball club. It’s very fun and it’s after school once a week on Wednesdays.  I think everyone should join it and see if it’s something that they are interested in.

Thank you so much Mariz for meeting with me and congratulations again!

– Thank you!

Here’s what Ms. Cullen and Ms. Alu, the volleyball club’s advisors, had to say about Mariz:

“Mariz has been such an advocate for all the students that wanted to start a volleyball club here at Township. She has gone above and beyond to set the club’s expectations, brainstorm ways to fundraise, and ensure that all members feel welcome! She is even planning a club tournament to make sure that everyone is involved. Last year, the club began in the spring with about 20 members, and this fall she has been able to recruit over 50 more students to join the club via the activities fair. At our first meeting in September, you could feel the energy in the gym as we rotated through multiple courts and games were being played. We are a new and growing club, with many students passionate for playing volleyball – which would not exist if not for Mariz. We are proud of the work she has done so far, and we can’t wait to see volleyball continue to flourish this fall and spring!”