With everything that’s been happening among the Republican presidential candidates, there is a lot for the Young Republican Club to discuss. At their meeting, Danielle Bonczewski pulls up different articles on the Internet, as the other members comment on the stories, about whether or not they agree with each candidate’s actions, and their overall view on the presidential race so far. When the bell rings, signifying the beginning of the school day, the members gather their belongings, and quietly exit, diving into the crowd that fills the hall as students rush to their first hour classes.

In a mainly liberal school, a club such as the Young Republican Club stands out among the variety of different political clubs and groups, especially now, as students pick a side in the presidential race.

However, as Ms. Boland explained, this club is a “group of kids [whose] voices are in the minority in this school. So they come together, and just talk about and share their thoughts…I think that they just have a place where they can finally voice their opinion.”

When this club is mentioned, some student may say that they weren’t even aware there was a Young Republican Club at CHS. This is because the club itself is actually fairly new, in a way.

According to Micaela Stoner, Clayton High School had a Young Republican Club up until the time that Hannah Milbourn’s brother graduated high school.

Stoner, who cofounded the group in her sophomore year, explained that she and Milbourn brought back the club, “because we felt that Clayton High School did not have a place for people with conservative beliefs to meet up and talk. Clayton High School’s student body is more liberal, so we thought it would be a good way to bring people together who didn’t fit that mold.”

Leah Bonczewski, the current co-president of the Young Republican Club, along with Hannah Milbourn, joined the club in her sophomore year.

“When you hear Young Republican Club, you’re like, ‘oh, God, they’re all just conservative, homophobic, racist white people who don’t know what they’re talking about, and don’t really care about anyone else,’” Bonczewski said. “But I feel we’ve worked around that, and done things to adjust to that, and maybe not being so outspoken at times, and just doing our own thing.”

Yet, as a conservative club in Clayton High School, there is bound to still be some conflict.

“Last year, the Politics Club, which I was also president of, put up signs during the Ferguson protests that read “We Support Our Local Law Enforcement Officers” and the [Young Republican Club] and Politics Club got a lot of negative responses from that.  People tore them down, made fun of them and wrote profanities on them,” Stoner described. “Also, the club posts a lot of information on our club Facebook page and we have had some individuals make fun of our posts or comments, which really isn’t respectful. We are entitled to our opinion just as much as they are, but we… have never made fun of another club at Clayton High School. We love to hear other people’s opinions, and we invite people of all political views to join in our meetings.”

Stoner went on, adding that students often admit to being afraid to join the Young Republican Club merely because they are worried about the social consequences of being associated with a conservative group.

“The most important thing about the club is the information and discussion. The media doesn’t always portray Republicans in the best light and in [the Young Republican Club], we get the real facts out, not the ones that are spread over Facebook but have no legitimate backing behind them,” said Stoner. “It is so important for students to know they aren’t alone in their views, and their views aren’t bad just because they aren’t commonplace at Clayton High School.”

“It really upsets me that at Clayton High School many students are afraid or nervous to share their political beliefs because of fear of what their peers might say,” Stoner added. “Everyone should feel like they can express themselves at Clayton High School no matter their opinion. In the [Young Republican Club] we try to always be respectful of what others believe, but I don’t always feel like we get that same respect in return.”

Though small in number, the members of this club work hard to keep their discussions going, and cover a broad selection of topics in the fifteen to thirty minutes that the group is together. Each person shares their opinion in full, whether or not it is something other members agree with.

“It is an open atmosphere…it’s not just Republicans that are asked to come…we like to have people from other parties come so they can share with opinion, so we can discuss it more. ‘Cause if we’re all Republicans, and sitting around talking about it, [there’s] not going to be much controversy,” Bonczewski said.

The Young Republican Club, at least to its current members, is more than a political club. For them, it is a place to find people who share your views, and a place where their views will not be judged. Ms. Boland expressed this sentiment while describing the club and its members, saying:

“You like to be part of something where you feel like you have a connection, and you belong.”