Fathering the Community: New club of East dads strive to get involved in the community

Standing in the 33-degree weather outside East’s main office entrance grasping a bag of breakfast Chick-Fil-A sandwiches in one hand and a box of Krispy Kreme donuts in the other, a group of East dads wait for the arrival of East students back from winter break with numb fingers and warm smiles. Still, they didn’t complain.

Father’s Club is a group of Kansas City dads who strive to make an impact by being there for high school kids’ lives and improving the community around them. Their ultimate goal is to send a message to their community that says dads care too and want to be a part of their school, according to Principal Jason Peres.

Co-chair member of the East chapter of Father’s Club, Joe Keal, sees the club as an opportunity to build a stronger presence in the East community.

“If we can help someone have a good day by being present, that’s a win for us,” Joe said.

Joe had originally heard about The Father’s Club from Ryan Kapple, co-chair of Olathe East’s chapter, who encouraged him to start a chapter at East. Joe still remembers the day when Kapple insisted he start a chapter at his daughter’s high school — on that day the Father’s Club at East began. 

Officially beginning in the fall of 2021. There are currently 25 members in the club. However, they’re all hoping and anticipating for more to join. 

“My hope is to start this club out and for it to become a long standing legacy,” Joe said.

Another goal of the Father’s Club is to serve as a way for dads to further connect with their kids and the school. For Joe, Father’s Club was a way to spend some extra time with his daughter, junior Mallory Keal, making him reminiscent of when he coached her basketball and softball team throughout grade school into middle school.

For Joe, coaching his daughter Mallory and her friends throughout their elementary school years ended too abruptly. Father’s Club is a way for Joe and other dads alike to bring back that involvement and connections with his daughter’s school.

The Father’s Club is a way for dads to meet fellow fathers through the program, along with fostering bonds and connections between the dads and their kids. 

“Another thing that was cool on the first day back when we were handing out food was seeing kids that I recognized,” Joe says. “Or when they would shout ‘Thanks, Mr. Keal’ and ‘Thanks, Coach Keal.’”

Moments like these are what the Father’s Club strives to make.

“The first day back at school I got to see my dad having fun and handing out food,” Mallory said. “It was nice giving my dad a hug before going off to class.” 

Peres is a big supporter of the Father’s Club — along with the rest of the East staff. He was involved in The Father’s Club at his previous school and has mostly the same role now. Peres is the liaison between the Father’s Club and East, providing the bridge to accomplish the goals of the club.

The Father’s Club’s first interaction between the staff and the club was at a faculty meeting at the start of the year where the club was showing an offer of support towards the school. 

The Father’s Clubs’ plan for the future is to be able to hold more events, assuming — and hoping — COVID-19 cases lower. The events would be as little as an appearance in the Marketing classroom with dads doing a lesson on how to tie a tie. Or bigger events like, being able to pass out food again, maybe during finals week or before the end of the quarter, according to Joe.

“The Father’s Club members brought an assortment of Kleenex — which are highly valued by teachers — to one of the faculty meetings,” Peres said. “It was a showing of support to the staff. From that moment forward, teachers [now believe] Father’s Club is here to support everything that goes on at our school”. 

“Above everything, the Father’s Club is a great opportunity for dads to be a part of something greater than themselves.,” Peres said.