Formed as a national organization in May of 2000, the Secular Student Alliance is a group with a goal of advocating for human-based ethics and secularism.

 
The Secular Student Alliance website states that their mission is to “organize, unite, educate, and serve students and student communities that promote the ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human-based ethics.”
The organization is guided by their mission and their six core values; these values are listed on their website as action, grass roots, community, cooperation, critical thinking, and ethics.

 
Senior Nick Montana is the founder of the Bowie chapter of the Secular Student Alliance; his hopes are that this will build a positive community around on campus for non-religious students and those who are questioning religion.
“I want it to be a place where kids can come and be doubtful and skeptical of religion with people who think like they do,” Montana said. “It is important to me because it allows me to talk about this subject with people who understand where I am coming from as well as it being a place for others to come and think critically and rationally.”
As expected there have been people who aren’t particularly in favor of the club being at Bowie, but those who are more accepting others beliefs welcome the club.

 
Junior Ment Morris is a follower of Christ who is in favor of having the club at Bowie. He believes it will spark an interesting conversation between creationists and those who are skeptical of God’s existence.

 
“I respect their beliefs and cause, it is not my place to disrespect any beliefs that the club holds,” Morris said. “I feel it is important to have clubs for religious and non-religious students, because it builds community for individuals and presents questions if there is something much larger to live for past our own identity and desires.”

 
For every new club being established at Bowie there are procedures to follow in order to get the club up and running. Initially there were some issues with the Secular Alliance being allowed on campus, but eventually after a lost form was resubmitted the club was approved.

 
Chris Lyon is the teacher sponsor of the Bowie Secular Student Alliance and offers his room to the club members every Tuesday starting right after school ending around 5:30. Lyon is involved with the discussions and activities that the club presents.
“The club shows the diversity of the campus and I feel that it is everyone’s right to have a club displaying their beliefs,” Lyon said. “I do not feel that the club has been completely accepted by those who do not understand what the club stands for.”