A new club at St. Joseph High School in Harrison is seeking to give female students an emboldened voice.

Empowering Women was spearheaded by junior Jennifer Phan, who said students can only benefit through the open dialogue created by the new club.

“We thought it was something we needed,” said Phan, 16. “We’ll apply current events and situations of inequality to our own experiences in hopes of giving each other room to talk.”

The club will meet once a week during lunch.

It was one of several options that students could choose from during the annual Spartan Activity Fair on Monday.

Hosted inside the St. John Paul II Center, tables were set up with representatives from each of the school’s clubs ready to reel in new members.

Club options included disc golf, bowling, robotics, Spanish and the environment.

Shane Palumbo, public relations director, said the array of activities is part of the school’s Whatever Is Needed (WIN) time.

“Weekly, students sign up for a time to meet with a teacher to enjoy a club or to get extra help academically,” Palumbo said. “It enables students to pursue their interests as well as get any assistance they need.”

The WIN program is in its third year.

The 40-minute block of time allows students enrichment or club time, with Palumbo saying, “It allows students the time to build positive social relationships within a supportive environment.”

Principal Kimberly Minick said the more students are engaged beyond a classroom, the more successful they are.

Minick said the school’s enrollment includes students from across the region. Students come to St. Joe’s from two dioceses, 31 parishes and 22 school districts.

“Not everyone is able to stay for activities after school,” she said.

“The WIN time helps them discover their passions and exposes them to positive activities that we offer.”

WIN time also is used occasionally for guest speakers who tutor students on healthy living. Past visitors have talked about the dangers of vaping and about safe dating.

Kylie Krzewinski, vice president of the Empowering Women club, said members will have a safe space to speak up about what equality means, to celebrate differences and create a more inclusive environment.

Topics might include global affairs or issues that hit closer to home.

“We might talk about what is happening with Iranian women or maybe something that happened to one of us,” Krzewinski said. “The idea is to discuss what it means to empower…