Dead Center is just one of Highland Park High School’s many clubs that offers students an outlet for creativity and self-expression. For over 75 years, Dead Center has been hosting open mic coffee houses every month and publishing an annual literary arts magazine filled with original student work. These club ventures provide a supportive environment for any artistic student to showcase their talents.
This year, Dead Center hopes to spark more involvement in the club, especially with open mic nights. “Students need to hear the voices and appreciate/encourage the talents of their peers,” says club advisor Ms. Marionni. “Being a part of a live performance is a unique experience that enriches both the artist and the audience.” Open mic nights in the cafeteria encourage students to read poetry, sing, and play instruments in front of classmates. These nights and the magazine are an opportunity for students to present their art and allow their peers to see and appreciate it in a safe space. Student submissions and attendance make these projects possible, so cultivating interest is a top priority.
However, Dead Center has been experiencing a decline in participation. According to Ms. Marionni, “Dead Center is all about human voice,” but over the past few years, the platform that enables students to share that voice has been dying out. At times, English teachers have offered extra credit to incentivize students to participate in otherwise sparsely attended open mic nights. Although this has been fairly effective in getting more people to show up, Dead Center members have mixed feelings about this method of gaining traction for the club. Miriam Klee shares her thoughts on this topic: “I feel that it is very unfortunate that the only way to gain interest is through the promise of extra credit. People should be interested in Dead Center because of the experience you get out of it…We want people to look inside themselves and start doing things just because they enjoy them.”
Even though Dead Center encourages everyone to share their work for performance opportunities or annual publications, showcasing art is not the only contribution students can make. Every Wednesday in Ms. Marionni’s room, members discuss plans for monthly open mic nights and their literary arts magazine. The club also plans to offer creative writing prompts and a school-wide reading club. There’s room for anyone looking to participate in any creative way they desire to. As always, all students are welcome to help out and keep Dead Center alive.