On Thursday, Sept. 7 2023, BHS students attended the annual Club Fair to learn about and join the diverse selection of student-run clubs at BHS.
Clubs covered a variety of topics from STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), to surfing and animal welfare. Besides a brief interruption from a fire alarm, the Club Fair ran for periods one through three, during which teachers were encouraged to bring their students to attend the fair. The Club Fair offered club-leaders an opportunity to promote their club, and provided students with the opportunity to learn more about what BHS offers, and how they can get involved.
“I think it was successful because a lot of students were around, so we had like 300 people sign up,” said Christian Cuatlatl Tello, president of the Baking Club. “It was really cool that we got to teach that many people and just tell them a little bit about us and what we can offer to them.”
This aspect of community at the Club Fair was shared among club leaders and students alike. Ori Boozaglo, a junior in AC, attended the Club Fair to “see what kinds of things people were passionate about promoting through their clubs.” She thought the fair executed this very well and was able to reflect the student body well.
“I feel that there was a really great representation of all different kinds of clubs and different people who are running the clubs,” said Boozaglo. “I think that every student could walk around and see something that I was like, ‘Oh, I can relate to that.’”
Boozaglo also pointed out how the Club Fair was a reflection of our school’s intentions as a community.
“I think that I took away sort of like a snapshot of what our school finds important,” said Boozaglo. “It gives you an idea of, ‘What are (the BHS community’s) goals as a school?’ (and) ‘What do we feel that we want to represent?’”
Sunny Bevis Lipton
Of the variety of clubs that participated, many explore topics and issues that our school and society struggle with. Some of these are branches of larger organizations, including Soccer Without Borders, which promotes community and education through soccer, and Green Dot, which focuses on education and prevention regarding sexual harm.
Green Dot ambassador, Kaelan Cadrain, used the Club Fair booth to both recruit members and educate about sexual harm prevention. Through the educational material, students could “gain a better understanding of ‘see something, say something,’” a principle that the club emphasizes, and later, “it … can kind of just help them be less fearful of like, the situations that may take place on or off campus and know how to navigate them and get through them.”
Cadrain shared how the club fair prompted personal growth as well. “I feel like now I’m not as scared to let people know like, ‘Hey, this is the program I’m apart of, talk to me if you want to learn more about it,” said Cadrain.
With hundreds of participants, the 2023 Club Fair will have not only a direct contribution to clubs but can have a lasting impression on BHS culture as a whole. The Club Fair provided extensive resources and opportunities for the entire BHS community, from which students can benefit socially and academically.