Clubs

African Students Association encourages African Students and any other students with interest in African affairs to join our club. ASA seeks to promote and raise awareness of the rich culture of Africa on the OLGCHS campus. The African Student Association provides a community of friendship, cultural awareness, and intellectual growth through care and nurturing of each other as well as through constructive discussions and activities. ASA seeks to create a medium through which young adults from Africa and other culturally based clubs can network and collaborate on projects based on the common desire to reshape the worldview of African students.

Moderator: Shena Thompson-Jones

The Anime Club is dedicated to the enjoyment of Japanese animation and its sub-culture. During weekly meetings, the club analyzes Japanese cartoons and discusses related themes and topics. In addition to club meetings, members attend a one-weekend convention during the school year.

Moderators: Jose Remedios and Nick Bache

The Good Counsel Art Club is a group that allows students to express their own creativity and share their interest in art with peers. Members strive to promote art appreciation throughout the school. Weekly meetings are held to work on a variety of projects such as murals, glass mosaics, paintings, sketches, and sculpture.

Moderator: Gretchen Irby

The Badminton Club is open to all students and all levels of experience. Club members will learn the rules of, and play badminton. The games will be played outdoors during the fall and spring.

Moderator: Caitlin Atkins

The goal of the Bass Fishing Club is to teach, enjoy, live, dream, learn, and be passionate about the sport of bass fishing. As a club, members will fish at local lakes, learn from local area bass guides and veteran bass fisherman, and most importantly, have fun in the rapidly growing high school sport of fishing. Meetings are based on activity and trip schedules.

Best Buddies is an organization that pairs Our Lady of Good Counsel students with intellectually disabled students at Rock Terrace School in Rockville. Club members offer friendship, guidance, and support to their buddies, while enjoying a rewarding experience serving as role models and leaders. Students are expected to speak with their buddy on the phone at least once a week, and see him/her in person twice a month. Travel to Rock Terrace after school is arranged once a month.

Moderator: Natalia Melamed

The Black Student Association aims to educate its members on African-American history and culture. The club strives to create an African-American perspective at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, and promote fellowship among the student body. Members are dedicated to making a positive impact on the community through various awareness projects and activities.

Annual events include: “So You Think You Can” Talent Showcase, Soul Food Night, Culture Day Assembly, and Black History Month activities. The club meets at least every other week.

Moderator: Geomone Nolen

The Book Worm Club aims to bring together students with a passion for literature in a friendly environment. The Book Worm Club chooses books of popular interest, and follows up on the reading with group discussions. The Book Worm Club provides a place for students to express their ideas and connect with people who share the same love for books. Meetings will occur monthly, which allows the students enough time to finish the books. Yummy snacks will be provided!

Moderator: Amelia Davis

The Good Counsel Booster Club is a student and teacher run organization formed to support Falcon sports teams year-round. Booster club members attend all home games, cheer loudly in a positive manner, and never leave early. We raise the spirits as well as boost the morale of the Falcon athletes. The Booster Club shall meet before games to formally decide and plan out things for games such as cheers, theme, or even where to sit. If you have school spirit and like to have fun, join the Good Counsel Booster Club!

Moderator: Pat Gittings

The Broadcasting Club is comprised of a group of students with an interest in creating film and television production. Among other projects, the club has produced school videos including topics such as the 50th Anniversary, freshmen welcome, and school spirit. The club submits their work in a variety of film contests. All filming, production, directing, and editing are created by our talented group of students. Meeting schedules are based on project timelines.

Moderator: Ron Colbert

Chinese Culture Club focuses on learning about Chinese culture and learning how to speak Chinese. Club members will discuss Chinese festivals (traditions and myths), and host fun activities related to the festivals. Club members will also learn basic Chinese for fun!

Moderator: Lauren Cissell

Moderator: Dusan Turcan

The Computer Club is for students interested in various computer technologies. During weekly meetings, club members will learn and enhance skills, enjoying the opportunity to be creators of technology. Projects include website creation and design, multimedia and computer graphics, animation, game design, and game programming. Meetings will be held at least once every two weeks.

Moderator: Jon Boller

The Cooking Club will meet several times throughout the school year to learn cooking techniques, prepare and share recipes. Meeting times vary.

The Creative Writing Club will provide a supportive environment for writers at Good Counsel and encourage growth through sharing and constructive criticism. Students of all grade levels and writing abilities will be welcome in the hopes that an enjoyable experience in the Creative Writing Club could give them a new reason to invest themselves in the written word. Meetings will occur on a bi-monthly basis with additional times as needed. Come for writing fun and snacks!

Moderator: Amelia Davis

Moderator: Georgia Chaconas

Moderator: President, Dr. Paul Barker

Moderator: Chris McKinney

Embrace Club is an opportunity for students to connect with the Olney, MD community through pre-scheduled variety shows based on musical performance. These shows would take place at the various assisted living or community living centers for the elderly in Olney.

Participation in this club would qualify for SSL hours for students. Students will be given hours for core rehearsals and performances, towards their yearly requirement. Practice times vary.

Moderators: Tony Tamberino

Empowering Women Club will meet one or two times a month to talk about women's rights issues, host teach-ins, and plan fundraiser activities. This club is open to students of all grades, and students are invited to participate as their time and interest allow. Empowering Women supports the Catholic commitment to social justice and encourage students to get involved in making the world a more just place. It embraces the Xaverian values of compassion and zeal by encouraging students to help women and girls struggling for basic socioeconomic rights, as well as those within our own community facing difficult girl-centric issues.

Moderator: Jeff Antico

Falcons for Soldiers raises awareness about the struggles and needs of active duty military and veterans in our community. As a club, we create fundraisers and activities at school to support them. Meetings are dedicated to creating, designing, and completing projects.

Moderators: Stephanie Guidara

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is an organization that challenges coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high, and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. FCA is the largest Christian sports organization in America, and focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering, and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ. The organization meets on the second and fourth Thursday morning of each month.

Moderator: Lauren Costello and Lisa Lodovici

Moderator: Dwanda Hairston

The goal of the Good Counsel FBLA is to develop student business knowledge, along with leadership, communication, and team skills. FBLA offers students the ability to grow and acquire new talents through unique and creative activities like FBLA competitive events and conferences. This group meets at least once every other week.

Moderator: Pat Gittings

FMSA is a club for students interested in broadening their knowledge of various medical specialties and health. Anatomy, diseases, current events, medical school, and more are discussed at meetings. Funds will be raised for hospital donations, and field trips and guest speakers will be organized throughout the year.

Moderator: Suzanne Crowell

Moderator: Pat Gittings

Students in the Games Club gather on Friday afternoons to play a variety of board games and computer games that involve strategy and logic. New members and new games are always welcome!

Moderator: Nick Bache and Tom Kolar

Moderator: Kim Hager

Good Counsel Theatre Company students produce two mainstage productions every year. The fall production is usually a straight play and in the spring we produce a musical. Additionally, in the winter we host a student run production in the new Hitte Studio Theatre. Students are involved not only in acting, singing, and dancing, but in all aspects of production, including lighting, sound, costumes, set design, stage management, run crew, and assistant directing and design. Practice times vary. Although most GCTC members take a theatre course during their four years, it is not required to participate in the extra-curricular productions.

Moderator: Kristina Friedgen and Chris Townshend

The Global Buddies Club is a fun gathering of international students and American students. The purpose is to increase international mindedness among GC students, introduce international students to GC community and American society, as well as to create meaningful cultural exchanges among the students. All international students are automatically enrolled in the club in their first year at Good Counsel. American students need to submit an application online.

Moderators: Yihung Mohs

The Government and Politics Club is dedicated to educating students about political processes, and also hosts stimulating discussions about current political viewpoints. Meetings are bi-weekly. Field trips to some of the many political institutions in Washington D.C. may be scheduled throughout the year as well.

Moderator: Richard Burns

Guitar Club welcomes students to come to weekly meetings to share ideas, techniques, and songs with other guitar players. The goal of this club is to promote the music and melodies of the guitar, banjo, fiddle, and autoharp. Members hold the Coffeehouse of Good Counsel which is a small midday concert in the Gallery during lunch for students and staff to enjoy. Guitar Club is a great way for students to share their music together and incorporate performing into their school day.

Moderator: Dennis Essig

Moderators: Keely Kellerman and Ana Lopez

Hip-Hop Club offers students who are interested in hip-hop music the opportunity to learn about various aspects of the genre’s culture and dance. Members choreograph and perform a dance for Culture Day. They also host other events and enjoy presentations from guest speakers and professional dancers. This group meets once a week.

Moderator: Stefanie Morgan-Davis

Moderator: Karen Egan

iFalcon Genius Bar members assist the IT support staff in their free time. Some students come before/after school and some come during their study halls/free periods. Club members help with iPad deployment, tech orientations, resetting portal passwords, converting VHS to digital, and assisting students & faculty with technical issues. This club provides an opportunity to enhance your technology skills while earning hours towards service, NHS or CAS.

Moderator: Suzanne Crowell

Moderator: Ali Tatum-Davis

Moderator: Andrew Keegan

It’s Academic is a trivia-based competitive team that has been part of Our Lady of Good Counsel’s tradition for more than 30 years. At practice, students compete with each other using a variety of questions and games. It’s Academic meets every week, and our participation in the DC Beltway League gives us a minimum of 5 matches each year.

Moderator: Michael Curtin

Karate Club is about self-defense learning through different mixtures of Martial Arts. We promote martial arts as an activity to be discussed, show-cased, encouraged, and not used for violence in any way. We train, learn, have fun, and love what we do! A wavier is required and must be signed by a parent/guardian!

Moderator: Pat Fookes

Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization that teaches leadership through serving others. Activities include making blankets for babies with AIDS, sponsoring a “senior prom” for the elderly, preparing sandwiches for the homeless, and so much more. Meetings and service opportunities are scheduled on an ongoing basis.

The Latino Student Association is an organization that provides students with the opportunity to learn more about various Latino cultures. It is a vehicle for sharing thoughts concerning issues, and discussing problems that pertain to the Latino experience in today’s society. The group meets at least once every other week.

Moderator: Laura Fess and Ashley Cruz

The Good Counsel Longboard Club brings together students who have an interest in the sport of longboarding. Longboarders share a special bond for the outdoors and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with finding others who share in their passion. The goal of the club is for members to share experiences and equipment, and to inform all students of this exciting sport. Outdoor sessions are scheduled throughout the year.

Moderator: Pat Gittings

Moderator: Blair Mills

Moderator: Kim Hager and Pat Riely

Good Counsel has one of the largest and most successful math teams in Montgomery County. It is the only Catholic or private school that competes in the Montgomery County Public School league. From September to January, members compete against area schools such as Blake and Sherwood. Meets are held twice a month, and GC regularly places among the league leaders. Club members compete in various games throughout the year and celebrate PI Day on March 14th!

Moderator: Bob Stack

Mock trial members will participate in the CLREP league competitions. Each CLREP registered high school will receive a trial booklet with a case and corresponding evidence. Members will meet 2-3 times per month to prepare their case.

Moderator: Victoria Cetrone

Moderator: Leah McNamara

Model UN is an extracurricular activity in which students imitate delegates to the United Nations and “model” UN committees. Students are assigned to take a certain country’s position on a global issue and research to form a resolution. Conferences are hosted by MUN affiliated colleges or high schools and occur throughout the school year. At these conferences, students either solely or duly participate in a mock United Nations session. Club members will participate in meetings to discuss global issues and prepare for mock UN sessions.

Moderator: Leah McNamara

Moderator: Chris McKinney

Moderator: Nick Bache and Lauren Cissell

Moderator: Ana Lopez

Moderator: Eleanor Donaghue

Moderator: Georgia Chaconas

The Philosophy Club meets every other week to discuss their thoughts and concepts of the world. Meetings give club members an opportunity to debate their different stances on a variety of topics and readings. Members have an e-mail chain allowing them to continue discussions from previous meetings and to prepare for future meetings. The Philosophy Club strives to reach out to the community to educate and share their passion for philosophy.

Moderators: Jose Remedios, Nick Bache, and Georgia Chaconas

The photography and videography club offers students to learn about all the different facets of digital media. From digital photography, to videography and video editing, to graphic design, the club gives students a chance to learn and practice the skills needed to create engaging digital content.

Moderators: David Radford

The Pottery Club welcomes new members of all skill levels to attend weekly meetings. The purpose of the club is to guide students wishing to develop their abilities in the use of the pottery wheel and the art of hand-building techniques. The club will focus on producing useful and beautiful ceramic pieces that will be made available for sale—all proceeds will be donated to charitable causes.

Moderator: Nick Clulow

The goal of Project Change is to provide a forum for youth empowerment through service. Students develop and implement service projects among the community. It also offers club members access to resources and students from other schools in our area, exposing them to a larger network of outreach programs. The group meets at least once every other week.

Moderator: Eleanor Donaghue

This new club is open to anyone who wants to learn about and construct robot devices. Robotic kits from VEX Corporation will be used, which include software to electronically communicate with the machines. One hour meetings will be held at various times.

Moderator: Dusan Turcan

The Rubik's cube club teaches its members the strategies to solve a Rubik's cube. Members can challenge one another in mock competitions. Cubes are provided for practice.

Moderators: Bill Jones

The members of S.A.V.E. are committed to performing volunteer environmental services along with educating the student body on current environmental issues. S.A.V.E. strives to give back to the community by improving the quality of our environment and encouraging the rest of the Our Lady of Good Counsel community to do their part as well. In recent years, the club has grown seedlings, made bat boxes, and cleaned up the campus. Members earn service hours for most of the work that is performed. S.A.V.E. plans to make campus clean-ups a regular tradition as a means of giving back to the community. Club members meet at least once every other week.

Moderator: Sarah Bechtol

The Science Club gives an opportunity for science loving students to join in and become advocates for science. The science club participates in National Chemistry week and Earth Day. They plan science related field trips and intend to set up a "demo day" during which they will invite science teachers and science club members from other institutions to give presentations at GC.

The club welcomes skiers and snowboarders of all levels, in other words, beginners are welcome! We are here to encourage improvement and dedication to the sport and as well as offer a great opportunity for students who have a passion for skiing or snowboarding to attend weekly trips to nearby ski resorts. Meetings are based on trip-planning activities and seasonal registration.

Moderators: Pete Kotz and Matt Durkin

The purpose of the Spectrum Club is to stimulate discussion concerning issues of cultural and social diversity. Meetings are held to focus on topics such as bullying, the “.isms”, stereotyping, and cross-cultural perceptions. Members are encouraged to teach the student body our Falcon Challenge and to uphold its mission of acceptance. Club members meet at least once every other week.

Moderators: Eleanor Donaghue, Randy Mackiewicz, and Beth Silva

The objective of Speculative Fiction Club is to bring together members of the Good Counsel community with similar interests and have fun watching our favorite videos and playing games. The club has weekly meetings for an hour every Tuesday to watch videos such as Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Sherlock. Once a month we meet to play the game Dungeons and Dragons.

Moderator:Tom Kolar

The Good Counsel Speech and Debate team has quickly established itself as one of the premier teams in the region. Over the past couple years GC Speech and Debate has brought home numerous awards from regional and national tournaments. Weekly meetings are held to give members the opportunity to choose topics they are passionate about and would like to debate, prepare, and practice for upcoming competitions.

Moderators: Chuck Ehrman, Randy Mackiewicz, Colleen McNamara, and Maggie Bykowski

The Ping Pong Club is open to all students regardless of skill level. The purpose of the club is for students to be able to enjoy the competitiveness of ping pong in a relaxed environment. The club serves as an opportunity to meet new people and have positive social interactions with peers. Most meetings will be “open play” but student moderators will organize tournaments throughout the year as well. Meeting dates will vary depending on Dining Hall availability.

Moderator: Justin Junghans

Moderator: Lauren Cissell

Moderator: Nick Clulow

Moderator: Eleanor Donaghue

Moderator: Dusan Turcan

Moderator: Bill Jones

Moderator: Pat Riely and Ali Tatum-Davis

Moderator: Sarah Bechtol

Moderator: Sarah Bechtol

Moderator: Jeff Antico

Moderator: Andrew Keegan

Moderator: Tom Kolar

Moderator: Chuck Ehrman, Randy Mackiewicz, Colleen McNamara, and Maggie Bykowski

Students for Life is a club dedicated to bearing witness in our GC community to the dignity of the human person in the context of Pro-Life topics such as abortion and euthanasia. The club is actively involved in the March for Life activities during the second semester. Students for Life are expected to attend one weekend service activity per semester. Some of the club activities include raising funds to support a child in Honduras, as well as hosting talks concerning Pro-Life topics on campus. Club members meet at least once every other week.

Moderator: Tom Kolar

The Student Government Association is the official representative arm of the student body within the school. The Student Government works closely with the faculty, moderators, and the administration to plan and coordinate student activities and projects throughout the school year. The Student Government plans school dances, Friday assemblies, and other events throughout the school year, as well as focusing on improving student life and fostering school spirit. Elections are held each year for our president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and class representatives. All students will have the opportunity to volunteer for SGA events and activities.

Moderators: Laura Fess and Jeffrey Antico

Moderator: Kelly Massino

Moderator: Lauren Cissell

The UNICEF Club aims to raise awareness and share ideas about children's rights, and essentially acts as a voice for children without one. By sharing information on a variety of children's rights issues, the club acts as both an educational and empowerment opportunity for Good Counsel community members.

Meetings are held every other Monday, and club members will host at least one fundraising function every month.

Moderator: Jen Cabigas

Moderator: Andrew Keegan and Randy Mackiewicz

The World Language Club is a club for students that are interested in learning new languages. During each meeting we will feature a different language, and a student who is a native or heritage speaker will teach their fellow club members useful conversational phrases and vocabulary. We will meet 1-2 times per month and after a few meetings we will host a language conversation hour to allow students to review and practice the languages that they learned in earlier meetings.

This club offers students the chance to learn and practice the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of Yoga. Yoga meetings will include the calming practice of meditation, challenging yoga positions and postures, and the opportunity to quietly refocus with personal intentions. This club allows students to reduce stress created by their hectic schedules and learn breathing techniques and stretches they can use on their own. Students will learn the different anatomy related to specific postures as well as vocabulary unique to Yoga. Yoga Club encourages participation from male and female students and staff.

Moderators: Kelly Massino and Lisa Lodovici