Three weeks. 21 days. Less than a month. Yet three weeks are set aside each fall for 9th graders to visit clubs and make a decision that will shape what they do every Thursday for the next 4 years. Joining a club can determine how free time at school is spent depending on what club a student is in. With the bake sales and the new service opportunities that can come with clubs, it is important to visit at least three clubs and choose based on interests. On top of that the club leaders enjoy having the 9th graders around. It is important for the SPA community that 9th graders visit clubs.

Weightlifting club president Adam Zukowski, a junior, liked having a lot of students attend his club in its early weeks: “As a new club it was nice to have many members and it let 9th graders get comfortable lifting.” Zukowski said.

Senior Aaron Datta is the president of Gender and Sexuality Acceptance. Datta believes that the 9th graders change the future of existing clubs: “It is always good to have new members from the 9th grade who are interested in social justice and want to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community. They bring new and productive ideas and help clubs change and adapt to the community, so that they can better serve the SPA community.”

The three weeks at the clubs allow the 9th graders and the club leaders to help the SPA community move forward. Though they may take up the first month of school they serve the important purpose of introducing freshmen to clubs, introducing club leaders to new members, and maybe — most importantly —  help keep the club fresh and new to fit the community. The 9th visiting different clubs benefit existing clubs both new and old, and should be continued.