"What is a club but another opportunity to learn?" asked Hannah Lerner, who said her four years of Model U.N. has boosted her confidence, improved her public speaking ability, and helped her "gain a greater understanding of our place in the international community."

A co-captain of the Model U.N. club, Lerner presented over 200 signatures of students who favored abolishing the new fee.

The new activities fee is charged for members of clubs where the advisor receives a stipend, which runs an average of $3,000, said Chip Ward, director of finance and planning for the district.

The district anticipates reducing expenditures by $50,000 as a result of the activities fee at the two high schools and the new fee for students participating in intramural sports in middle school, he said, and is so far on track to do so.

Though the student activity fee and charge for participating in middle school sports is new, the idea of paying to participate in an extracurricular activity is not, he said. High school student athletes already pay a $110 pay-to-play fee for participating in interscholastic sports and have paid a fee for at least a decade.

Scholarships exist for students who may be burdened by the fees. Students who fill out a form for free or reduced-price lunch may indicate on the back of the form whether they would want to be considered for scholarships that would reduce the cost of taking AP and SAT exams, participating in sports, and now participating in fee-based clubs, Ward said.

Hall student Colin Schlank said that with the fees, the administration is sending a mixed message to students by charging for clubs while encouraging students to get involved in them.

"Our administration wants us to participate in these clubs," he said. "However, they also want us to pay for that privilege."

Hall High School Principal Donald Slater that of the school's approximately 50 clubs, seven -- Chemistry Club, Drill Team, Math Team, Mock Trial, Magazine/Newspaper, World Affairs Club, and Yearbook Club - are now fee-based.