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Back in Action
Co-Curriculars are back in action! The Upper School’s annual club fair was bustling with excited students on Friday, October 23, 2020. With more than 25 clubs, some of which are entirely new, the students were eager to browse the tables and ask questions during their advisory time. Although the clubs have had to adapt to an age of Zoom and virtual competitions, they have handled it with love, goodwill, and trust. Head of the Upper School, Mr. Carl Melamet, observed, “It’s promising that we are able to host the fair outside or even at all.” At the beginning of the school year, there were discussions over if the club fair could happen, and if the students could socially distance during it. However, our students have proven themselves to Mr. Melamet. “Our kids are showing a lot of responsibility when it comes to wearing their masks and staying respectfully distant,” he noted.
Some clubs, like Model United Nations, DECA, Science Olympiad, Academic Team, and Mock Trial, have had to switch their events to only on-campus for our students or virtual if they want to compete with outside schools. Congres and Congreso are waiting until closer to the spring to decide how their competitions will happen. Fan-favorite, Club 9, is staying alive this year! They will now be hosting smaller events with limited seating outside in the courtyard, with the potential for live-streaming for other students.
Want to be more involved with our school and planning events? Students can join Cougar Chaos or Holiday Decorating. Cougar Chaos plans the themed days for our sporting events and encourages our student population to join in on the fun. A newcomer, the Holiday Decorating club, aims to raise the festive spirit across the entire school with homemade decorations, whether it is Hanukkah, St. Patrick’s Day, or Mother’s Day.
Looking for a more relaxing activity-based club? The new Gardening Club has already started their first project of bringing two small planters boxes to the Rubenstein Courtyard so they can begin planting flowers and vegetables and teach novice gardeners how to work the soil. Speed Cubing is a new club centered around teaching students how to complete a Rubik’s Cube and then speed up their personal best time. The Tea Club and Cinematology Club are always looking for new members to join!
Our students are more committed to service than ever. The Amnesty International Club, started this year by Arabella L. ’21, promotes human rights through advocacy and research. “This is a great opportunity to learn about lobbying procedures and to contribute to our society in a meaningful way,” said Arabella. Our brand-new Veterans Service Club wants to support our Veterans, and have had to change their plans from visiting in person to drive-bys and raising funds. ONDEC is bringing co-curriculars to less fortunate children in Lee County, and Operation Smile is raising money for kids with cleft palettes to have life-changing surgery. Interact is the high school branch of Rotary Club, and provides community service opportunities for our students on a monthly basis.
Some organizations are merging events to involve more students, like the National Honor Society and LGBTQ+ and Allies. Kole Y. ’21, as head of both organizations, hopes to build a joint event for Equality Week that would encompass gender, sexuality, race, religion, and neurodiversity. Kole explained, “We’ve had a great response to the initial ideas for this event. I am excited to see what members from both organizations will bring to the table. Both our communities and families I love. I want everyone to feel welcome to bring their ideas so that our students feel invested in the clubs.” We are eager to see what these groups brainstorm for a wonderful Equality Week!
