New, continuing clubs to host fair on Monday

Club and group student leaders rushed around the upper library Sept. 8 to prepare for this year’s club fair. Markers and blank posters were scattered on tables for the leaders to use to make signs for their club. This year the Student Organization Fair will be held Sept. 12 in the Lily Courtyard from 9:30-10:15 a.m.

In the upper library, Dean of Students Stacy Tepp facilitated the meeting, discussing the benefits of announcements during the beginning of the club fair and new additions to the fair.

For the first time, the event doesn’t focus on 9th graders, and instead invited students to attend by grade level: ninth and eleventh graders go first, while sophomores and seniors attend in the second wave.

New this year is the Pickleball club, started by Anna and Leni Nowakowski. History teacher Ben Bollinger- Danielson is the faculty advisor. The club leaders plan to bring paddles and balls to the fair so students can try the activity out. The club has many students interested in joining, according to the Nowakowskis, so everyone should have someone in the club that they know. Depending on the weather, they first plan to meet in the gym or outside.

Senior Simon Assefa hopes to officially launch Argumentation Club this year, a place where students can debate topics without the pressure of performing for a grade. The club was in the works last year, when Assefa, senior Tommy Verhey, and a few others continued informal classroom conversations about current events in history teacher Mollie Ward’s classroom during unscheduled time. The topics range from the war in Ukraine to Ford v. Ferrari. The club promotes in-depth statistical analysis with evidence to support each point. These arguments’ winners get prizes, such as doughnuts or candy. The club will continue to meet in the history classroom on the third floor.

Assefa said, “We’re going to be debating fun topics, but still have a competitive debate atmosphere, so bring your team of three or four and have a firm position to be ready to compete.”

Tutorial Football League is another new addition to the club fair started by seniors Cooper Bollinger-Danielson, William Painter, Aryun Nemani, and Ray Guo. Last year during the pandemic, they were often seen throwing football on the front lawn, and decided to open it up for other students. They will meet on North Lawn with their faculty advisor, history teacher Jon Peterson, during tutorials to play football.

Cooper Bollinger-Danielson said, “We found community in Tutorial Football League. It is so inspiring to see everybody getting so energized about the community.”

All clubs‘ first meetings are scheduled for Sept. 20 during X-period.