The Onteora Booster Club wants you! The parent-led community group’s objectives are buoyed by families, businesses and other local people.
“Essentially, the Booster Club is trying to build school spirit amongst middle school and high school students, as well as unity, and then we also like to encompass the larger Onteora community into that spirit building and sense of unity as well,” said Denise Alterio, president of the club and a parent of a current high school sophomore and a recent graduate. She shares that in common with Heather Longyear, the Booster Club’s community relations officer, though Longyear also has a daughter in the seventh grade.
Alterio and Longyear spoke to Hudson Valley One last week to boost the Onteora Booster Club, which is already more popular in its fourth year than it’s ever been before.
“Our membership is probably between 50 to 60 people at the moment,” Longyear said. “We definitely have a tremendous support group. We have a leadership team of board members and appointed positions that has nine people on it, which is just incredible. It’s such an amazing team of people with such skills and devotion and creativity. From year one we were four in the past two years there were three. And this year there’s just so much support.”
The Booster Club’s stated goals include:
Raising funds for school spirit-building events and prizes
Hosting community-building events
Recognizing and celebrate students’ achievements
Supporting teams’ fundraising efforts
The objective is to ensure every student feels they’re being seen.
“We try to have events that are inclusive of all students and the student body, which would be things like a free homecoming tailgate where all the students are invited to eat, to playing games together,” said Longyear.
Other events include a trivia night (March 7) and a music and arts celebration (March 13), but there is seemingly no end to the possibilities.
“We do a community night every winter where we invite youth organizations, where we honor members of our community,” said Longyear. “This year we honored the coaches and advisors who go above and beyond to bring extracurriculars to students, and in past years, we’ve honored business members in the community who are big supporters of us as well as first responders, firefighters and police officers and EMTs to bring the outside community in as well.”
In May, the club hosts an annual “War of the Classes,” a spirit week culminating event for high school students where students in each grade compete in a series of games meant to bring them together.
“I would like to think that we’re pretty open in terms of taking ideas from all places,” said Alterio. “Sometimes it’s things people see or hear of in other districts, or what their own experiences were as a student themselves.”
They’ve also collaborated with the Onteora Athletic Council and put out surveys to ensure student ideas are being heard.
In a district that’s geographically large but has a smaller student population than others, the Booster Club’s efforts to foster a sense of community can be a tall order.
“Because we are so spread out and so large, sometimes it’s hard to get that community feel,” said Longyear. “I think trying to create these activities and these events is giving the kids a reason and opportunity to come together that they might not have had.”
Alterio said the entire district and much of the community actively supports the Onteora Booster Club.
“Just yesterday as a matter fact, I was in a meeting with the central office administration and another Booster Club member to just share ideas and hear the status of things which feels really good,” she said. “You know that you have a lot of different people who are pulling in the same direction. I’ve always felt like we said it is small, but I feel like it’s like such a powerhouse of positive programming and positive opportunities.”
The Booster Club holds seasonal meetings for people who might be interested in learning more about what they do. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. at the Boiceville Inn.
“We would love to have more people join or come to our meetings, or just learn more about it,” said Longyear. “We thank all the community that has been so supportive whether that be teachers and staff or so many businesses that have donated goods and services to every event that we have. Without all that support, none of the events would’ve been possible. So we’re just so grateful and gracious for all that.”
Alterio said how one gets involved with the Onteora Booster Club is entirely up to them.
“Sometimes I think it can feel overwhelming to join a club because you know everybody’s really busy,” she said. “In my mind it’s always been, whatever time, talent or treasure you can throw our way in any amount or capacity is so sincerely appreciated…It’s for the students just for them to know that they really matter. We’re really trying to make school an experience that is beyond academic learning, but something that they can have some good memories to look back on.”
For more information on the Onteora Booster Club, visit: onteoraboosterclub.com.
Join the family! 
