When I first got to Mount Carmel, Mr. John O’Connor gave my class a piece of advice that has stuck with me to this day: don’t be a “2:40 guy.”
A 2:40 guy is someone who leaves school the moment the final bell rings and goes straight home. At the time, I didn’t think much of it and started my time at MC as that 2:40 guy. When I saw that many of my friends were playing lacrosse, I knew I had to get more involved at MC, and it became one of the best decisions I’ve made. After spending some time in various after-school organizations at MC and seeing what happens at school after 2:40, it is clear that some of the most meaningful moments here begin after the final bell.
MC offers more than 15 varsity sports and more than 20 clubs and after school activities, there is truly something for everyone here. Clubs and after-school activities give students countless opportunities to get involved, explore their interests, and find new ones along the way. Yet many students choose to leave right at the final bell, missing out on experiences that can build friendships and help them find their passions. Staying after school and joining clubs isn’t just something everyone should do; it is an essential part of the MC experience.
One of the strongest reasons students should stay after school is the wide variety of clubs and activities MC offers. Whether a student is interested in sports, media, music, chess, cooking, or anything else, then MC has a club for them. According to Mr. O’Connor, Director of Special Events & Student Engagement and a moderator of multiple clubs, extracurricular activities should be seen as “co-curricular,” not separate from learning. He explained that involvement outside the classroom works alongside academics to support students’ growth.
“There’s statistical data that proves that students who are most engaged in extracurriculars are better affected overall in their means of education,” he says.
Clubs also give students opportunities to try new things in a low pressure environment. Many activities do not require any previous experience. Most sports at MC are no cut, and allow everybody a chance. Any student who wants to try a sport, can try it. Mr. O’Connor emphasized that students who leave immediately after school miss out on something much bigger than just an activity.
“They miss out on the Mount Carmel experience,” he says. “In my opinion, it begins at 2:40 every day, once our clubs and athletics get going in full force.”
At MC it is told to students that school spirit is something that is shown with pride at MC, and that all starts once the bell rings.
Beyond the number of clubs available, they also play a major role in helping students feel connected and confident. Aaron Hyler, a junior at MC who is involved in numerous clubs, including Media Group, Chess Club, Jazz band, and the Multicultural Club, said that joining clubs completely changes his school experience.
“It gives me a tighter community to be within Mount Carmel,” Hyler says.
Being involved in multiple clubs has allowed him to interact with different people throughout the week and grow as leaders over time.
Clubs also help students who may struggle socially find their place. Mr. O’Connor noted that high school is a critical time for social development, and involvement can make a major difference.
“We see multiple kids, kids that aren’t involved in anything and we try to get them involved,’’ he said. Whether it is a team, a club, or a new activity like pickleball, clubs create spaces where students can meet people who share their similar interests and find their people.
Joining clubs at MC helped me find my people. As a freshman, I was a 2:40 guy, I got on bus five with Mr. Lester, my bus driver, to go home every day, at the same time. I’d go home, do homework, go to my club hockey practice, and do it all again the next day. Sophomore year I realized that I needed to get involved, I joined the MC athletic staff, I became a student trainer, and learned useful skills that could have set up a career path, if I chose to take that route. Clubs aren’t just an activity, they give students real world experiences and help them find what could be their passion. Junior year I started broadcasting, and I was hooked. Now I’m off to Iowa, Nebraska, or Indiana to study sports media, and I’m hooked. Since starting, I’ve loved every second of it. Clubs at MC gave me a chance to find my passion, and get ahead of my future career.
Still, many students wonder whether involvement in clubs will actually benefit them. Research shows that joining clubs, and staying after school is linked to academic motivation and positive school functioning. A 2025 study by the National Library Of Medicine conducted on students from Canada, the USA, and France found that “self-determined motivation for extracurricular activities was positively associated with indicators of academic functioning for student and teacher-rated outcomes through the mediating effects of self-determined academic motivation and psychological need satisfaction in school.’’. The study suggests that the more students are engaged and motivated in activities outside the classroom, the more likely they are to be academically successful and connected to the school.
Being a “2:40 guy” means missing out on opportunities that extend beyond academics. Clubs at MC help students discover interests, build friendship, develop leadership skills, and grow into well-rounded individuals. As students make their journey through MC, the moments that they will remember the most don’t come from their Pre-Calc classes or their English classes. Instead, they come after the final bell rings, those memories come on the field, they come on air, or they come in a club meeting. Staying after school is not just about filling time, it’s about making the most of their MC experience before time runs out.
