Ellensburg High School

The Purpose of ASB Clubs at EHS

An Associated Student Body (ASB) club is a student-initiated, student-led organization that unites peers around a shared passion, academic pursuit, or community service goal. Operating under the official umbrella of the Ellensburg High School ASB, these clubs provide a structured platform for students to turn their ideas into action.

Clubs do more than just hold meetings; they are the heartbeat of our campus culture. Participating in an ASB club enriches student life in several core ways:

Fostering Belonging: Clubs create inclusive communities where students can connect with like-minded peers and build meaningful friendships outside the traditional classroom setting.
Developing Leaders: Students step into active leadership roles, gaining hands-on experience in organizing events, running formal meetings, and guiding a team.
Building Financial Responsibility: By planning fundraisers, drafting budgets, and voting on expenditures, students learn real-world financial management while acting as stewards of public funds.
Elevating School Spirit: Clubs drive the activities, campaigns, and community service projects that make high school memorable and strengthen our ties to the broader Ellensburg community.

Ultimately, ASB clubs empower students to take ownership of their high school experience, ensuring that EHS remains a vibrant, student-driven environment.

Clubs & The ASB Connection

While each club at Ellensburg High School has its own unique focus, officers, and activities, no club operates in isolation. Every club exists as part of the overarching Associated Student Body (ASB) system. Understanding this relationship helps advisors and officers navigate approvals, budget management, and campus event planning.

The Umbrella Structure

Think of the ASB Executive Board as the student governing body for campus life at EHS, and individual clubs as official branches within that system.

Chartering & Legal Authorization: A club only exists at EHS because it has been officially chartered and approved by the ASB Executive Board and School Board. All clubs operate under the authority of the master EHS ASB Constitution.
Centralized Treasury: While your club plans its own budget and raises its own funds, your money is maintained in a dedicated sub-account within the main EHS ASB Treasury. Clubs do not have private, outside bank accounts. All money flows through the central ASB Bookkeeper.

Student Oversight & Approval Chain: Because ASB is designed to promote student self-governance, the ASB Executive Board acts as a peer check-and-balance. When your club votes to spend money, run a fundraiser, or update its bylaws, that request is reviewed and voted on by the ASB Executive Board before administrative sign-off.
Representation: Club leaders have a voice in campus-wide decisions through ASB leadership meetings, ensuring all student interests, from sports and arts to service and academic teams, are represented at EHS.

In short, individual clubs generate the energy and passion of student life, while the ASB Executive Board provides the structural, legal, and financial framework to make those activities possible.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES: The Club & ASB Team

Running a successful and legally compliant ASB club takes teamwork. EHS clubs are student-led and advisor-directed, meaning students make the decisions, while adults ensure those decisions are safe, legal, and follow district policy. Here are how the responsibilities are divided:

The Student Officers:

The elected officers are the driving force behind the club. They are responsible for casting the vision, planning events, and managing the club’s public funds.

President / Vice President: Leads club meetings, drafts agendas, and serves as the primary spokesperson for the club. They ensure the club is meeting its constitutional goals and that all members have a voice.
Treasurer: The student financial manager. The Treasurer works with the advisor to create the annual budget, signs Purchase Orders (POs) before money is spent, and checks the club’s account balance. They must present financial updates to the club for a vote.
Secretary: The record keeper. The Secretary is responsible for taking detailed Meeting Minutes at every meeting. Because no ASB money can be spent without student approval, the Secretary’s minutes are the official, legal proof for school auditors that the students voted to approve a purchase or a fundraiser.
Student Representative(s): The liaison and advocate. The Student Representative serves as the vital link between your club, the general student body, and the broader ASB Executive Board. They attend ASB Council/Inter-Club meetings to represent the club’s interests, bring back important campus-wide announcements to members, and help promote club events and fundraisers across different grade levels.

The Staff Advisor:

The advisor is an EHS staff member who acts as a mentor, supervisor, and compliance officer for the club. Advisors cannot make financial decisions or spend club money without student approval.

Supervision: Must be present at all official club meetings, fundraisers, and events.
Financial Oversight: Ensures that the students are following WASBO rules. The advisor reviews and signs all POs, fundraiser requests, and meeting minutes to verify accuracy.
Cash & Inventory Handling: Supervises the collection of money, ensures cash is locked in the district cash box, and guarantees that deposits are handed directly to the ASB Bookkeeper daily. They also help the students track inventory for anything the club sells.
Roster Management: Verifies that all participating students hold a current EHS ASB card and have completed any necessary permission forms.

The ASB Bookkeeper:

Think of the ASB Bookkeeper as the club’s accountant and financial gatekeeper. Their job is to protect the school and the club from state audit fines.

Managing the Money: Processes all approved Purchase Orders, cuts the checks to pay vendors, and safely deposits all club fundraising cash into the bank.
Enforcing the Rules: The Bookkeeper is legally required to reject any purchase or fundraiser that does not have the proper paperwork (like a PO, meeting minutes, or administrative approval).
Providing Updates: Provides clubs with accurate, up-to-date account balances so the Treasurer knows exactly how much money the club has available to spend.

The Activities Coordinator

The Activities Coordinator oversees the entire EHS ASB program and ensures all clubs align with the school's mission and campus calendar.

Program Oversight: Reviews and approves all new club applications, fundraiser requests, and campus-wide events.
Scheduling: Manages the master school calendar to ensure club fundraisers, dances, or events do not overlap or conflict with other school activities.
Training & Support: Serves as the primary resource for club advisors and student officers, helping them navigate complex ASB rules, plan large events, and resolve disputes.

TBD

While the ASB Bookkeeper maintains the official district accounting system, every club Treasurer must keep an independent, internal record called the Club Ledger.

The ledger is your club’s real-time financial notebook. Because official district ledger reports are generated on a monthly cycle, relying solely on monthly statements can lead to accidentally overspending your account balance or missing unposted expenses. Maintaining an accurate, up-to-date club ledger is the cornerstone of responsible financial management.

Club Forms

CLUB FORMATION & GOVERNANCE

Every great organization needs a playbook. In this section, we cover the "how-to" of running an official EHS club. Governance is all about ensuring your club operates democratically, transparently, and by the book. Whether you are submitting an application for a new club, updating your annual constitution, or learning how to record meeting minutes to authorize a fundraiser, this section provides the structural roadmap your club needs to stay active, organized, and compliant with state laws.

Starting an Official Club: The Approval Process

Any Ellensburg High School student with a great idea, a shared interest, or a desire to serve the community can start a club. However, to operate on campus and handle money, a club must be officially recognized by the EHS ASB Student Council and school administration.

Being an official ASB club grants you several privileges, including:

The ability to hold meetings in school classrooms or facilities.
The right to host official EHS fundraisers and activities.
An official ASB financial account managed by the school.
Promotion through school announcements, assemblies, and the yearbook.

(Note: Unofficial or unapproved student groups cannot collect money, advertise on campus, or use the school’s name for events.)

Rules for New Clubs

Before starting the application process, ensure your proposed club meets these basic requirements:

It must have a Staff Advisor: Every club must have a contracted EHS staff member who agrees to supervise meetings and oversee finances.
It must be inclusive: Clubs cannot discriminate. Membership must be open to all EHS students who hold a valid ASB card.
It must have a unique purpose: The club should offer something new to the campus and not duplicate the exact purpose of an already existing active club.

THE APPROVAL PROCESS – STEPS FOR A NEW CLUB

Annual ASB Club Charter Renewal

Each ASB Club must re-charter every school year. This ensures:

The club is still active and has student interest.
Updated club officers and advisors are documented.
The club’s Mission/Purpose still aligns with school policy and student needs.

Complete the Application for Charter Form:

Fill in the application with the required information.
Update the club officers, and provide a list of members.
Resubmit the club constitution or submit an updated constitution (if revised).

All EHS clubs are required to resubmit their club constitution for the upcoming school year. You have two options:

Resubmit your current constitution (if no changes are needed),
OR
Update and submit a revised constitution that reflects any changes to your club’s purpose, leadership structure, or operations.

To help with this process, a constitution template is provided (Appendix B). Please use this template to ensure your submission meets all required guidelines.

Deadline:	Friday, October 16^th, 2026
Submit to:	Amy Perry, Activities Coordinator
EHS Athletics Office	amy.perry@esd401.org

ANNUAL CHARTER RENEWAL PROCESS

While the ASB Bookkeeper maintains the official district accounting system, every club Treasurer must keep an independent, internal record called the Club Ledger.

The ledger is your club’s real-time financial notebook. Because official district ledger reports are generated on a monthly cycle, relying solely on monthly statements can lead to accidentally overspending your account balance or missing unposted expenses. Maintaining an accurate, up-to-date club ledger is the cornerstone of responsible financial management.

Club Forms

CLUB RESOURCE MANUAL