As we approach the end of the academic year, we are also approaching the end of our school clubs. The week of April 20^th is the last club week of the 25-26 school year, which is sad in a sense, but also marks the end of an old season so something new can be fostered. Now, although IA is labeled as a STEM school, we must not forget about the art aspect which turns STEM into STEAM. This month, IA hosted our very own talent show, showcasing the individuals and clubs who fuel the creative soul of our school. Out of all these performances, one club stood out, which is IA K-pop.

 K-pop is a genre of music originating from Korea that is inspired by western musical influences. It is specifically known for its catchy beats and high effort choreography. IA K-pop was able to highlight that through their performances in the talent show, channeling that same energy through dance. However, to be able to perform to the best of their ability, a tremendous amount of effort had to be made to make sure everything goes well. From the words of the president, Kaelyn Jin-Britt, “The club started forming groups and planned rehearsals all the way back in January, at the beginning of 2^nd semester.” Through plenty of practice and several rehearsals, Kaelyn confirms that “we made sure that the performers were ready in every aspect for the show.”

In addition, as many people know and as I mentioned, IA is primarily a STEM school. As a result, there aren’t many opportunities for creative clubs to shine. Kaelyn states that “The talent show was definitely important to IA K-pop because it was one of the only, or at least biggest ways we can present our hard work and passion to other people.” This then places more emphasis on the talent show, one of the few opportunities each year to present IA’s art clubs instead of the STEM ones. I personally attended the talent show, and watched the performances, seeing the product of all the hard work IA K-pop made to perfect their acts, and the overwhelming amount of passion put into each performance. The performance wasn’t something they were forced to do, they wanted to do it out of their own volition, which made it twice as meaningful. After asking around, the members of IA K-pop collectively agreed that the talent show was a bonding experience for everyone involved and was the highlight of their club experiences of the year. Usually, I would tell you to visit them in their club block if you’re interested, but since we’re nearing the end of the year, if you’re interested in IA K-pop, visit them at the club fair next semester!