Guest Contributors: Josianne Salcido, Assistant Club Director at Loveland-Pulliam Club
Storytelling is such an important part of life. Youth deserve to share their voice. “Clubs within Club” is something Loveland- Pulliam does to enhance our program quality. This allows our staff to share their interests with members through programming. It helped me find my place at Club. I hope to inspire members and even staff to DREAM. My attitude has always been, if you can dream it, you can be it. With hard work, dedication, and passion, anything is possible in life!
The Theater Club started in January of 2025. What started off as only five members snowballed into 10, 15, and eventually around 20 members. All members participated in different areas of the stage. Members felt a sense of community when they walked into the Theater Club, free from all judgment. They found that these things could be a viable career choice. I teach them stage presence, public speaking, emotional regulation, improvisation, costume design, stage management, leadership skills, and audio technology. I’ve successfully run three shows here at Loveland-Pulliam Club, each one growing bigger and bigger. Some new faces, some returning. With every show, we have the same accepting community.
Theater Club has grown into something that members feel ownership of. I’ve seen growth in their characters. For example, a shy member who only wanted to do backstage work is now auditioning for a part in the play. With the progression of the Theater Club, I decided to start a Film Club too, continuing to follow my passion for cinema.
The Film Club started in the summer of 2025. Members had the new choice to come and learn about the power of storytelling in a different way. The Film Club goes over scriptwriting, storyboarding, pre-production, casting, camera gear knowledge, visual storytelling, acting, and editing. They presented their short films in front of their peers and eventually in front of the community with an audience Q & A! The first program started with 10 members. They got to work alone or in collaboration with others!
At the end of summer, our Club put on a member film festival with awards. The following fall, we gained traction, adding more members, and started a partnership with Shantel, who runs a film showcase at the Magic Rat in Fort Collins. This allowed the films to be shown on a big screen where other professional filmmakers display their work. The members took this opportunity and felt a sense of being seen. This year, the Film Club has grown exponentially!
These stories are just the beginning. Our members’ voices are louder than ever with the right tools to reach out into the world. With the passion we bring to the club every day, our work changes the lives of all of our futures. I’m very grateful to be a part of a Club that not only allows me to share these things, but encourages it.
People love what other people are passionate about. Creativity is needed more than ever, and finding the spark in yourself is the key to a successful Club within Club.
