The mission of the 3D Printing Club is to give all students, regardless of major or skill level, the opportunity to learn about 3D printing and participate in 3D printing-related activities. Along with this, students can learn supplementary CAD modeling to produce their own creations with 3D Printing. Through participation in this club, students can learn skills that will be beneficial for the rest of their academic and professional careers.

Advisor(s): John Scancarella

The mission of the Academic Team is to promote knowledge through competition and fun. The club participates in about 8-10 tournaments a year, which are all day events. Before each tournament the clubs will have 3 or 4 practices to prepare. For the 2018-2019 Team there are 24 members, with a core group of 20 who participate regularly. The club enters three teams of 4-5 players.

Advisor(s): Stephanie Baier

Advisor(s): Suzanne Alese

Joining the art club in high school offers a vibrant and inclusive environment where creativity thrives. Beyond providing open studio time for personal artistic exploration, the club emphasizes collaborative projects and student-led demonstrations and workshops. This dynamic approach fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as students work together on diverse art initiatives and share their unique techniques with peers. The art club also strengthens communication skills through presentations and critiques, helping members articulate their ideas and provide constructive feedback. By balancing individual creativity with collaborative efforts, the art club equips students with a versatile skill set that enhances their artistic abilities and prepares them for future professional and personal endeavors.

Advisor(s): Sarah Adams

The Asian American Cultural Club celebrates and explores the rich diversity of Asian American cultures. Through engaging meetings, we celebrate traditions such as a Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration, learn about history, and give back to our community through a planned charity walk. From cultural events to charity endeavors, our club offers a welcoming space for all to connect, embrace their heritage, and learn about other cultures. We are passionate about creating a safe space in which all students can feel comfortable and make friends with similar interests!

Advisor(s): Denis Cook

Advisor(s): Emrah Ayhan

Are you a reader who loves to talk about characters, storylines, authors, and more? Are you looking for a place to read with friends? Join the MLHS book club! All readers are welcome. We rotate discussions and meetings around a wide variety of genres from fantasy and dystopia fiction to nonfiction and mystery. We love to explore it all! We don't set any strict reading schedule, so don't worry if you don't think you can finish a whole book in between meetings. That is not a requirement. We also love to recommend new books and authors, so it's a great place to build your TBR list (to be read list). All are welcome!

Advisor(s): Keriann Ekland

This club plans to help bring awareness to Breast Cancer by having educational meetings, while also fundraising money to help with the cause.

Advisor(s): Ms. Stolarczuk

As a passionate group of automotive enthusiasts grows in the student body, the ML Car Club hopes to enhance our school community while providing a valuable educational and team-building platform. The Mountain Lakes Car Club aims to bring together students who share a common interest in cars and motorcycles, regardless of their level of expertise or the type of vehicle they own, to discuss automotive topics, share personal projects, and celebrate automotive culture. Throughout the school year, our club intends to host and attend a variety of activities, such as educational classes, fundraiser car shows, and track days. All are welcome!

Advisor(s): Patrick Terzis

Mountain Lakes Chess Club offers great opportunities for students to play friendly games of chess against their peers in a low-stress environment, as well as learning new strategies to improve their own game. We usually meet once a week during lunch. Attendance is optional but if you want to improve at Chess, the best way is by showing up.  We also have a ML Chess Team, which competes with the teams of the other High Schools. Games are held both at ML and at the competing High Schools. Everyone is welcome. If you want to just play chess, join us during our weekly meetings. You are also welcome to be part of the ML Chess team. All are Welcome, regardless of the level.

Advisor(s): Mukta Chandra

Advisor(s): Stephanie Baier

MLHS Cooking club typically meets twice a month on Tuesdays from 2:50-4:00 in the foods room 363. Dues for joining are only $5.00 for the entire year to cover the cost of groceries. Members have quite a bit of input as the “what are we making” and often the recipes are geared around a holiday near the meeting.  All grades are welcome and encouraged to join and participate as often as possible. Choosing  dishes from students’ favorite restaurants or something they see on social media is something we do often. Fast recipes that are enjoyable and fun to prepare in groups!  This is a great opportunity to practice students’ love of cooking and baking or a place they can come and learn something new.

Advisors: Teresa Fiorina

Advisor(s): Steven Feltmann

Do you like to write short stories, poems, song lyrics, and plays? Are you an aspiring novelist? Maybe you have a movie script in mind? Or, maybe you want to get started and learn what creative writing is all about... join the MLHS Creative Writing club! The creative writing club is a safe space to share your writing, to start writing, and to have fun exploring and learning about ways to write. The club is also a great introduction to the course elective: Creative Writing! All are welcome!

Advisor(s): Keriann Eklund

Discover and celebrate global traditions with the Cultural Traditions Club. Join us for engaging events and activities that highlight diverse customs and foster cultural connections, meeting monthly during lunch.

Advisor(s): Mark Hofmann

The Mountain Lakes Speech and Debate team meets weekly to prepare students for Parliamentary and Lincoln Douglas format debate and competes at tournaments nationally and across the state. MLSD membership builds confidence, boosts classroom performance, improves communication, and increases critical thinking skills to prepare students for college. Our team provides life skills vital to a young person’s success in the future: its members are represented at the top 50 US colleges at a rate 23% higher than that of the general population.

Advisor(s): Cristina Politano & Begona Rodriguez

DECA is a business competition club. It has the largest membership of any club in MLHS!  DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in business. With 250k members nationwide it is also a strong club brand on college applications.

Advisor(s): Paul Sidhu

Advisor(s): Judy Kolek

The Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Club is a group for students who appreciate the art of the classic tabletop role-playing game.  In this club, students will learn to create characters and play in campaigns.  Whether you see yourself as a character braving dungeons or the dungeon master who controls the setting, there is a place for you.  Let your imagination come to life in the D&D Club!

Advisor(s): Chris Wallace

EMT Club teaches basic first aid and supports students with an interest in the medical field and/or becoming EMT's. 

Advisor(s): Paul Sidhu

Entrepreneurship Club supports students with an interest in launching their own business.  It provides opportunities to learn, grow and compete in the arena of entrepreneurship. 

Advisor(s): Paul Sidhu

The MLHS Environmental Club helps bring awareness to local and global environmental issues.  Club members partake in a variety of activities, some of those include: maintaining the high school botanical garden, town cleanups, being a resource to town projects such as the library garden and Birchwood Lake rain garden, and raising money for environmental causes.  In addition, club members partake in spreading awareness throughout the school to promote eco-friendly practices. 

Advisor(s): David Sica

The Mountain Lakes Fishing club holds fishing derbies, helps the stocking of local lakes and ponds, and raises money for Warriors on the Water.  WOW is a non-profit organization that helps veterans gain access to fishing tackle and takes them on fishing expeditions.  Meetings are held during the lunch periods.

Advisor(s): Doug Merritt

This club aims to provide students who are fresh to the field of Film with the opportunity to learn the basic terms and concepts, that is to say, the vocabulary and grammar, sign and syntax, and the technical and aesthetic elements of the cinematic language. This club will introduce students to the nature and experience of film as an artistic medium and will enrich this experience by educating the student in film criticism, film history, and film production. The club will  have each member gain experience as to the many different roles people play in the production of a film. Members are expected to produce a new short based on a particular theme every other club meeting. The meeting will involve screenings and guest speakers and meet bi-monthly beginning in January 2025.

Advisor(s): Patrick Butler

The Mountain Lakes High School Debate team provides an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in current events, philosophy, and political/social policies to learn the art of civil discourse and discussion in a structured format through participation in individual Lincoln Douglas debate or team Public Forum debate. Specifically, the mission of the debate program is to develop active listeners and intellectually competent interlocutors who are capable of understanding and constructively discussing all sides of important civic issues. This mission is accomplished through participation in debate tournaments in which the MLHS debate team competes with other high schools in the NJ/NY region. Mountain Lakes High School debaters take their case preparation seriously, do their best to represent Laker Pride at tournaments, and provide an inclusive and welcoming community to other debaters at MLHS. By preparing for and engaging in debate tournaments, Debate Club members will learn how to:

• Develop team working skills
• Understand all sides of an argument
• Experience new points of view
• Research current issues and events
• Write cases with strong contentions, claims, warrants, links, and evidence
• Defend and attack positions persuasively using logic and evidence
• Engage in public discourse with a polished and professional style
• Deliver speeches and responses spontaneously

Advisor(s): Ryan Humphreys

The home of the fastest drivers in the world. Delve into the F1 community whether it's for the races, the drivers, or the drama. With speeds of over 200 mph, time spent here will never be boring. This is for those who have been fans since Vettel’s first championship or those who have never been fans before.

Advisor(s): Ken White

The club’s mission is to improve public speaking skills by preparation for and participation in National Catholic Forensics League (“NCFL”) competition events. There are about 10-15 students in the club. Although the club does not traditionally meet, the students who are preparing for competition schedule 1-on-1 practice sessions with Mr. Hoffman, typically 1-2 times per week per student in the week or two leading up to a tournament. The Club highlights and/or accomplishments from last year were:

1. MLHS was represented by at least two Speech competitors at each of the six NCFL tournaments.
2. Two students advanced to tournament finals in at least one tournament.

Mr. Hoffman states that the goal for this year is to “increased student participation!”

Advisor(s): Ryan Humphreys

The primary goal of the French Club is to foster a love for the French language and culture among students and to offer them a welcoming yet dedicated environment for learning a new language. The club's focus on French culture also encourages exploration of the French-speaking world. In addition to the various activities organized by the club each semester, students will have the opportunity to correspond with pen pals in France as part of their French classes. This interaction promotes a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other's cultures.  

The club sponsors various activities, including watching films and attending Broadway shows. In the past few years, our French Club has seen Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. We also plan to visit the United Nations and the Metropolitan Museum to view impressionist paintings studied in French classes. Our goal is to share French and Francophone culture with our school community throughout the year, in addition to celebrating National French Week in November.

Advisor(s): Pia Garate-Gomez

Advisor(s): David Sica

The mission of the GSA is to create a safe space for individuals in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies at MLHS as well as the fostering of acceptance for all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender, etc. The club’s activities will all aim to cultivate alliances across all grade levels and amongst students with diverse backgrounds. There are about 35-40 students that regularly participate in this club. The GSA does not have a set meeting schedule.

Advisor: TBD

MLHS Golf Club promotes an opportunity for students who are both experienced and inexperienced to learn the sport of golf. This is a new club and developing ways for students to learn this sport.

Advisor(s): Ms. Degenaars

Advisor(s): TBD

Advisor(s): Begona Rodriguez

Advisor(s): Cara Pelchat

The Indian Cultural Club is a great platform for students to share their experiences and traditions. We are excited to celebrate the many facets of Indian Culture from the festivals to Bollywood to Cricket to the amazing Indian cuisines, to name a few. The club offers its members cultural enrichment and awareness, leadership opportunities, community building and socializing. Join the ICC and let the fun begin!

Advisor(s): Mukta Chandra

Students learn about stock investing.  They compete in several investing competitions using real stocks in a simulation. 

Advisor(s): Paul Sidhu

The mission of the Mountain Lakes Investment Banking Club is to inspire and educate students about the world of investment banking. Through informative sessions with professional guest speakers from the industry, we aim to provide valuable insights into the career paths, skills, and experiences necessary for success in investment banking. Our goal is to create a deeper understanding of the field, foster a passion for finance, and equip our members with the knowledge and connections to pursue their professional aspirations. Additionally, we aim to build a network of Mountain Lakes High School alumni who work in finance.

Advisor(s): Michael Schutz

Key Club is a nationwide service club in which students contribute to their school and community.  Students do many projects to raise funds and awareness to support great charitable causes.

Advisor(s): Mary Venanzi and Paul Sidhu

The purpose of the Laker Film Club is to introduce students to video production and the different aspects of film as well as what goes into creating a movie. The club will also encourage students to write scripts that will be made into films by the club. This is a fully student run club, students are going to be making films, by students for students. Genres range from fantasy to syfy to non-fiction and everything in between. If you can write it, we can make it! Laker Film Club isn't just about film production, however, as we will often be watching movies and then discussing what we liked, didn't like and what we can put into our own films. We will also be submitting all the films we make to film festivals across the country! There are about 10 students in the film club. 

Advisor(s): Patrick Butler

Lets Erase The Stigma aka LET’S Club is MLHS hub for mental health awareness and support. Our mission is to create a community where talking about mental health is encouraged and stigma is left behind. We host events like Chalk the Walks, where students can share uplifting messages around campus, and we update our bulletin board monthly with helpful tips and resources. Through spreading kindness and raising awareness, we aim to foster a more understanding and supportive school environment. Join us in making a difference and promoting mental wellness in our school community!

Advisor(s): Alyssa DeTrolio

Advisor(s): Begona Rodriguez

The Phoenix is a website publication featuring the artists of Mountain Lakes High School including visual arts, creative writing, and theater. We are submission-based and are always looking for artists to send their work! It is a good platform for students to show off their talent and show what is happening in the art world around the school.

Advisor(s): Diana Novachevska

We administer AMC 12A and 12B as well as 10A and 10B to the students who want to take it. We usually have 3-5 students qualify each year for the AIME level. We also compete in the Math League in our county, and we were number one in our region. 

Advisor(s): Emrah Ayhan

Our Mock Trial Club aims to offer students  the opportunity to engage in simulated legal proceedings, honing their skills in critical thinking, public speaking, and teamwork. Through the exploration of legal concepts, case analysis, and role-play activities, students will develop a deeper understanding of the judicial system and courtroom procedures. This club is designed to provide hands-on experience in trial advocacy, fostering a passion for law and advocacy among participants. We hope to host a mix of interclub competitions to help educate our members while also giving them real world experience through NJ State Bar-High School’s Mock Trial Simulations.

Advisor(s): Sarah Gillespie

The mission of Model United Nations for students to become more involved in their role as global citizens. Students will be honing their public speaking skills by participation in the annual Model UN symposium.

Advisor: Richard Ziccardi
 

Mountain Lakes High School’s student-led digital newspaper club! This club meets on a bi-monthly basis and consists of both staff writers and editors, with publications released at the end of each month. The Mountaineer is dedicated to representing student voices and increasing the journalistic skills of those who participate. Staff writers choose the subject of their articles, conduct interviews and/or investigative research, and submit to the editorial staff for review in order to be featured on The Mountaineer website. All are welcome to join and new members can get involved throughout the course of the school year.

Advisor(s): Tania Seibert

The Mountaineer

Advisor(s): TBD

The National History Day club prepares students for the National History Day competition. In it, students learn essential research and analyzing skills that will aid them in any history class. In addition, they can also pursue various passions, such as web development or filmmaking. Join the NHD club today to explore your favorite history topics and pursue your passions!

Advisor(s): Michael Schutz

The E. W. Anibal Chapter of the National Honor Society

Mountain Lakes High School is home to the E. W. Anibal Chapter of the National Honor Society. Selection for membership in the local chapter of the National Honor Society is determined by a Faculty Council and is based upon a student's demonstration of outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members must continue to demonstrate these qualities and take an active role in chapter activities and service efforts.

What does membership entail?

Members of the E. W. Anibal Chapter are required to fulfill the responsibilities of membership including service efforts throughout the year. These activities include acting as hosts and guides in the high school for Back to School Night, the Graduation Ceremony, Open House events, and other school and district events. Members serve as tutors in the high school and promote academic excellence in the district by serving as mentors and reading partners at Briarcliff and Wildwood. Finally, members take an active role in service projects outside of our district.  We are always seeking additional avenues of service in Morris County and the surrounding communities.

Who is eligible to apply?

Academic eligibility for NHS consideration is determined by GPA after marking period 3. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.65 to be eligible. Eligible students will be notified after the close of the third marking period. However, GPA is only one part of the selection process. Student selection is also based upon SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, and CHARACTER. Click  HERE for a copy of our selection process.

Who can and should apply?

Students who are academically eligible and desire to apply should have completed at least 25 hours of service/volunteer experience prior to application. These hours do not include the hours of service required as part of the grade 10 social studies course of study. In addition, students who anticipate selection should have an excellent record of behavior in school and should have consistently demonstrated the highest level of academic integrity. Students seeking selection should also carefully consider whether they have a desire to follow through on the obligations of membership. Membership does not bestow any benefit beyond the opportunities available for service and the growth intrinsic to those experiences.

What counts as Service?

This document should help you understand what kind of service activities are considered during the selection process.

Does everyone who is eligible apply?

No, many students find that they do not want to make it a priority. After all, membership isn't about the benefits it affords you. It should be about what you are able to do for others through membership. In addition, not all students have the service record needed, or they may realize they have other reasons for not applying.

Does everyone who applies get selected?

No, we do our best to select students who have demonstrated a strong record of service, leadership, and academic integrity. While we value all of the students at MLHS, not every student meets these standards.

When is the induction ceremony?

Our induction ceremony will take place in September of the candidate’s senior year.

Advisor(s): Diane Geveke

Peer Leadership is a club that is offered to rising Juniors and it is a two-year commitment. This club looks for students who are responsible, positive role models and who exhibit initiative and self-direction. Peer leaders participate in various activities throughout the school year. 

Peer Leaders must  adhere to the following expectations:

1. Participate in the planning and facilitation of 4 Freshman meetings throughout the school year (quarterly)
2. Attend all Peer Leadership events (Freshman field day, Peer Leader training, Freshman open house, and other activities)
3. Be drug and alcohol-free. 
4. Serve as a positive role model in all aspects and for all students at MLHS during Junior and Senior years. 

To be considered an application must be submitted. All applicants will be invited to an in-person group interview and demo lesson. The selection process is the application, the interview/demo lesson, and teacher feedback. The program is committed to providing outstanding leadership to the Mountain Lakes School District.

Advisor(s): Jason Doniloski and Jennifer Suarez

The Phoenix has been developed and designed to showcase the creative talent from all communities here at Mountain Lakes High School. We are also a club that allows students to organize and create an authentic published magazine, complete with all the design, deadlines and difficulties that accompany that task! This is the only club activity available for aspiring Graphic Designers to produce their own authentic publication. The Phoenix also gives our creative writers and illustrators a chance to publish their work. There are about 8 students in the club. At the present time, the student members are making decisions and creating a writing contest through Canvas. As some sports activities come to a close, afternoon meetings are easier.

Advisor(s): TBD

A group for photographers to work together, meet, and share their work.

Advisor(s): Diana Novachevska

MLHS Politics Club meets one or two times each month, usually in the evening, to discuss current issues of government.  Student leaders choose a few topics in advance, including domestic and foreign policy issues, and provide links for students to read in advance of the meeting.  Discussions, which are NOT debates, welcome viewpoints from all sides of controversial topics, and are always civil. 

Advisor(s): Mark Hoffman

The Mountain Lakes Robotics team competes in the First Tech Challenge of NJ.  We use the Tetrix robot building system along with the REV command module.  The students learn to build, program in Java and compete with their robots.  We are guaranteed three competitions a year and can move on to the State and National level if we qualify.  Meetings are during lunch and after school depending on the availability of the Advisor.

Advisor(s): Douglas J. Merritt

Advisor(s): Ken White

As a passionate group of automotive enthusiasts grows in the student body, the ML Car Club hopes to enhance our school community while providing a valuable educational and team-building platform. The Mountain Lakes Car Club aims to bring together students who share a common interest in cars and motorcycles, regardless of their level of expertise or the type of vehicle they own, to discuss automotive topics, share personal projects, and celebrate automotive culture. Throughout the school year, our club intends to host and attend a variety of activities, such as educational classes, fundraiser car shows, and track days. All are welcome!

Advisor(s): John Scancarella

Advisor(s): Michael Petrucelli

Advisor(s): Alexis Urriola

The purpose of the Social Justice Club at MLHS is to bring awareness of social justice issues to our community. We believe it is critically important for MLHS students to discuss and examine our role in climate justice, voting rights, racial justice, gender justice, etc. Our second objective is to analyze how social justice issues intersect with current events, both local and global.

Advisor(s): Begona Rodriguez

Advisor(s):  Begoña Rodríguez

The Student Government Association (SGA) is composed of grade level officers as well as an Executive Board. Each grade level Student Government includes a President, Vice President, Treasurer, and 3 Class Representatives. The Executive Board is composed of a President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary and they serve as a resource for the grade level officers.  The Executive Board is responsible for planning the Homecoming Dance and Winter Formal with the input and assistance of the grade level officers. In addition to these responsibilities, the Executive Board also coordinates with each grade level to assist in offering support for the grade level fundraisers and grade specific events (Freshman Dance, Prom, etc). The SGA meets throughout the school year to plan and discuss school events, and help to disseminate information to the student population and elicit student opinions on school event details.

Advisor(s): Mary Venanzi

Advisor(s): Diane Geveke

The Mountain Lakes High School Theatre Department is proud to provide onstage and backstage experience to students in grades 9 through 12. Our department produces two fully staged productions, as well as an extracurricular club.

For more information, including news, announcements and details about our current season, VISIT OUR WEB SITE HERE! 

Toastmasters Gavel Club provides students a chance to practice public speaking skills in a non-competitive, social environment.  We meet during lunch one or two times each month.  One student opens with jokes, another delivers a short prepared speech, and a third student provides prompts for volunteers to deliver a very short "off-the-cuff" speech.  All speakers are evaluated by a peer for time, use of "fillers" and overall quality. 

Advisor(s): Mark Hoffman

Veterans' Appreciation Club is a new club in which students are engaged in activities to recognize and honor the service of military veterans.

Advisor(s): Paul Sidhu

The Volleyball Club is designed to provide an opportunity for all students to competitively play volleyball against each other, foster their skills, and develop a community focused around teamwork. There are about 30 students in the club. The club meets in the Fall and Spring time on Tuesdays from 7-8 pm in the MLHS Main Gym. The early club highlights and/or accomplishments from this Fall were the consistent and promising participation amongst the student body. 

Advisor(s): TBD

The Wingman program is powerful because it fosters a culture of inclusion, empathy, and connection within communities, addressing the deep-seated need for belonging and acceptance. Engaging participants in social-emotional learning activities empowers individuals to recognize the importance of kindness, understanding, and support in their interactions. This program helps people feel welcomed and creates an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. When individuals feel connected and supported, they are more likely to contribute positively to their community, leading to a ripple effect of positive change. The Wingman program encourages participants to step up as leaders in fostering these connections, creating a community where everyone looks out for each other. This focus on social-emotional growth can reduce instances of bullying, increase empathy, and build stronger, more resilient communities where differences are celebrated and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Advisor(s): Jennifer Suarez

The Women's Weightlifting Club is a supportive and empowering community dedicated to promoting strength training and fitness for women of all skill levels! Through guided workouts, and educational sessions, the club fosters confidence, builds physical strength, and encourages personal growth in a positive and inclusive environment.

Advisor(s): Alexis Urriola

The MLHS Yearbook club is a place welcome to highly self-motivated, detail oriented students in all grades. In addition to learning about photography and design, yearbook students become better communicators and stronger leaders. They meet real-world deadlines, deal with significant budgets and produce the only permanent record of the school year. Creating a yearbook is “authentic assessment” since day one and the book itself is a “performance portfolio.” Producing a yearbook teaches students emphasis on research, reflection, revision, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity.

There are about 10-20 students in this club. The entire staff group meets at least once per month during the lunch block or afterschool. The editorial board meets more ads needed to plan for content creation and manage deadlines. Additionally, the student staffer’s and editors use an online platform (hjedesign.com) to create the yearbook, many staffers work from home on the yearbook outside of the school day, the site has a message board and electronic sticky notes for members to collaborate on pages, and for the advisor and editors to provide feedback. The editors and myself also meet with a publishing representative from Herff Jones and various photographers, and our sales and customer service reps from Lors several times throughout the year.

Advisor(s): Sarah Adams