By Miley Otobe & Aalia Akbarali

The Club Fair gives students at Innovation Academy the chance and opportunity to explore all the activities and clubs available to them throughout the school year. The clubs chosen by students are the clubs they attend throughout the year during once-monthly club weeks. Club week is the last week of every month where the students attend their chosen clubs on specific days throughout the week.

There is a large variety of clubs during the fair, from clubs like Model UN to clubs like Animal Welfare. There are also clubs that vary to accommodate to each students interests such as sport clubs like Volleyball club and Basketball club, as well as clubs where students can just reset and refresh themselves such as Red Cross and Crafty Collective. The student leaders speak about their clubs, sharing everything from the activities you could participate in, to volunteer services and their own experiences with the club. Each club presents posters, decorations, candy and sign-up forms to show what makes each club unique. On the other hand, if a student joins a club and later realize that maybe it isn’t for them then they have the option of switching clubs after a semester.

For Freshmen at IA especially, the club fair is the easiest way to learn about the clubs which may introduce them to opportunities they may have not know about. Instead of reading a list of clubs, students can talk directly to members of clubs and see what makes each club unique.

When asked if the club fair makes it easier for students to get involved, Jax Brown [10], a member of Volleyball club, said, “yes because it shows and presents all the different clubs here at IA.”

The fair also helps clubs to recruit and gain more members while continuing to encourage students to step outside of their usual comfort zone and, although it may seem intimidating, to branch out and talk to different people and explore new things. Joining a club can lead to unexpected new friendships, volunteer opportunities and other benefits that can help you majorly.

Throughout this event, some students already knew which clubs they wanted to join, while others searched and listened to the club leaders from table to table, looking for something that might peak their interest.

When asked what advice would you give a student who is nervous about joining a certain club, Thomas Baquero [10] said, “I would tell them to just shake off the nerves because in most cases, if you choose a club you have an interest in, you will end up having a good time.”

As students settle back into the school year, club week can be a monthly reminder that school is about more than only classes and gives students time to reset and refresh. Whether students choose to volunteer, lead, create, or simply just meet new people, joining clubs can make their time at IA way more meaningful.