DID YOU KNOW? As a continuing feature, The Accolade delves into the origins, purpose and benefits of paying for an Associated Student Body [ASB] Gold Card, sending news editor Irene Park to investigate.
The American Express Centurion Card, also known as the Amex Black Card. The Chase Sapphire Reserve Visa Card. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Card.
According to wallethub.com, these are among the most coveted plastic spending options because they’re known for such perks as “VIP access to events, airport lounge access and elite status with multiple travel providers and hotels.”
Amex and Capital One don’t even have a spending limit, which is why they have become known as luxury items. Nevertheless, these banks charge users anywhere from $395-$5,000 per year to possess the credit card.
Fortunately for Sunny Hills students, the price to possess an ASB Gold Card is not that high (it costs $50 and can be purchased on the online webstore).
“[We look at it as] your investment in the school; the rewards are the opportunities to get other things like cheaper yearbooks and reduced dance costs,” said ASB adviser David Fenstermaker, elaborating on the card’s give-and-take principle. “The more active your student body is, the more student body income comes in.”
The revenue that the ASB receives from Gold Card sales is then allocated to the different programs on campus, treasurer junior Aaron Green said. In return, that funding allows students to attend certain events like dances and sports games for free or at a discounted price.
But how long has this funding source been around for? And how did it become part of the school culture? According to past Accolade print articles, the Gold Card, also known in the past as just an ASB Card, has existed since at least October 1965.
DEALS, DISCOUNTS GALORE
Senior Charles Kearney said he finds the Gold Card a worthwhile purchase and an essential part of his high school experience.
“I enjoy going to dances and games with my friends, and the money I would have to spend to do that without a Gold Card would be a worse deal than the discounted/free tickets to games and events with the Gold Card,” said Kearney, who’s been purchasing the card since his freshman year.
Its features have remained mostly the same with only its price fluctuating from $35 in the early 2010s to $40 in the mid-2010s and its current price of $50 since 2023.
The price change happened in July 2023 when every school in the district received a chance to raise its prices for its student body card to help fund the new athletic leagues, Fenstermaker said.
Each school has its own version of an “ASB Card,” albeit under a different name such as Fullerton High School’s IFL Card, the ASB adviser said.
THE CARD’S BEGINNINGS
Up until around 2008, officials recognized which students would get discounts to attend games or dances based on a sticker placed onto a laminated piece of paper – the student ID – that had a student’s name on it, Fenstermaker said.
Improvements in machines and printing technology allowed for the creation of actual plastic photo IDs and the option of a golden color accent for those who purchased a Gold Card.
The change to an official ID with a color distinction made it more exclusive and cost-effective compared to the stickers because the company doesn’t charge extra for the design addition, Fenstermaker said.
“It’s better now 1,000% because it’s like a legitimate ID [compared to the old laminated paper card],” the ASB adviser said.
The card’s name changed to “Gold Card,” after originally being dubbed an “ASB Card,” prior to 2013, Fenstermaker said.
The change was present by the time he had arrived in 2013 as the new co-ASB adviser with Mike Paris, who retired two years ago.
Fenstermaker said that one of the reasons for changing the card was to differentiate the ASB Card from gold and silver credit cards.
“Everyone had the same exact ID, and it was just a sticker [that showed it was a Gold Card],” he said. “So now, to make it a little bit easier and not spend as much money on stickers, we just distinguish the two different IDs with gold [for a Gold Card] and black [for a regular card].”
The Gold Card is also connected to the 5-Star app, and the barcode in the 5-Star profile is the same one on a student’s card. Now, the ASB can quickly scan students into dances through 5-Star and can also provide perks like giveaways and points.
While some schools, such as Great Oak High School in Temecula, have chosen to go fully digital with 5-Star, Sunny Hills won’t be leaving behind physical IDs yet considering that some students don’t have phones, the ASB adviser said.
GOLDEN BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS
Many coaches encourage their student-athletes to buy the Gold Card because it helps the programs with funding for referees and tournaments.
“We make a big push with the coaches because this funding is substantial,” Fenstermaker said.
Junior Rayna Tam said her cheer coach encouraged each of her peers on the team to purchase a Gold Card.
“Our coach recommends that we get a Gold Card, especially to support the teams we don’t cheer for,” Tam said.
But not every student prefers to take advantage of the “golden benefits.”
“I didn’t think that I would go to any events this year because my junior year is going to be super busy,” said junior Serena Wen, who only had the card her freshman year.
Science teacher Mason Morris said he bought the ASB Gold Card every year for both his sons, with his Class of 2024 eldest having been involved in the baseball program before graduating and the sophomore youngest still attending Sunny Hills and playing baseball.
“I think it’s a good idea to have one because it supports a variety of programs on campus, and it’s good for sports and other ASB activities,” Morris said.