US Club Fair Showcases Exciting Offerings

The upper school was abuzz with excitement Friday, August 27 as students travelled throughout campus to visit various booths representing the wide variety of clubs and activities available to them outside of traditional school hours.

 

The fair, which is typically held in the gym, was spread among various stations across campus to allow for physical distancing. With over 50 clubs and activities to choose from, there was certainly something to appeal to a wide range of interests. From baking, to Chinese, chess, coding, and ultimate frisbee, students were presented with an exciting potpourri of opportunities. 

 

The change, according to upper school science teacher Amanda Pierman ‘97, made the fair feel like “trick-or-treating” for clubs. Pierman runs two clubs at the upper school; Best Buddies and HOSA.

 

“The Buddies club pairs up students from the ELS center. We host monthly lunches, seek-n-treat at Halloween, and lots of other events that unite their students with ours,” said Pierman.

 

HOSA is an internationally recognized health organization for students who are interested in medicine or “furthering scientific endeavors.” 

 

“There are over 50 different competitions students can choose from ranging from medical photography to drawing, to speech and debate, to medical inventions, forensic science, and other skills,” said Pierman, whose team will compete in January at Keiser University. If the group places in the top 3, they will move on to the State competition held in Orlando, Florida.

 

Dean of Students Kevin Jacobsen said he and fellow administrators made a concerted effort to offer the Club Fair as early as possible this year “to enhance the community feel at school and show off all of our students’ interests.”

 

Jacobsen said the event was a way to bolster school spirit early in the fall semester.

 

“We had 57 clubs and activities available during the Club Fair for students to sign up for, and the energy felt on campus was something we greatly missed over the last 18 months or so. I'm excited to see how our new Community Block period and rotating club schedule will change the overall feel of the school day and give our students opportunities to get involved in activities that interest them outside of the classroom,” said Jacobsen.