Think back to school these past years, maybe you were walking down the hall and saw a poster, maybe you were tempted by baked goods in the cafeteria, maybe you were just walking through the front doors and received a kind greeting.  This is most likely the work of the Ipswich High School 40% Club. The 40% club has been working their hardest to improve moods on tough early mornings and aid mental health by spreading one central idea, 40% of your happiness is completely within your control.  

The reason this idea is so important, and should be spread to more people, is because it is easy to feel like you have no control over your life and your mood, like your attitude is just a product of circumstances, but this is not the reality. Just making an effort to try to feel happy can improve your disposition.  The 40% Club is trying to do just that.  The club members have been figuring out ways to help people in and around the school change their own dispositions through mood boosting activities.  

I talked to a teacher new to our school about a recent experience in his life with the 40% club.  About a week ago, Mr. Caulfield walked into his classroom to find a letter on his desk.  “I opened it, smiling the entire time,” he says.  It was written by members of the 40% Club, containing positive and encouraging messages to give people a little boost.  Mr. Caulfield later stated “It definitely made my morning a lot nicer.”  This is just one example of the 40% Club making a difference in both students and teachers days. 

I also had the opportunity to talk to a member of the 40% Club, Dylan Eaton.  I talked to him about what compelled him to join the club.  “I’ve always been intrigued by what the club stands for in regards to mental health and happiness.”  The members of the club meet weekly on Wednesdays to discuss projects for the coming weeks.  Dylan finishes by saying, “Our hope is that through our hard work and support, others that aren’t part of the club will also try to spread the message and help each other out.” 

After all my research into the club and its members, this quote seems to encapsulate the true meaning of the club quite well.  Yes, the club does spend most of their time organizing activities, creating posters, writing encouraging notes, and small projects of the such, but this isn’t the full scope of the committee.  The true purpose of the club is to inspire others to do good as well.  Maybe they’ll receive one of these notes and feel encouraged to pass it on to someone else.  The larger goal of this club is to make Ipswich High School an overall more enjoyable place to be a part of.  To strengthen the sense of community and make everyone’s days just a little bit better.