Looking for things to do during Wednesday’s club time? This year’s club fair featured many new clubs for students to join.

Does Outdoors Club, where you can talk about everything you love to do outdoors, sound intriguing? Or does the Sunrise Movement pique your interest, as you can help raise awareness for climate change in the local community? These are just a few of the new clubs this year that are eager to expand their memberships.

On September 11, Upper School students gathered in the Commons to browse the twenty-six (out of the thirty-two) clubs represented at the fair. Ranging from affinity groups to “just for fun” clubs, and from clubs with high commitments to those that are more low-key, there was no shortage of options for students to choose from.

There appears to be a rise in clubs that explore pre-professional interests. For example, Ping Ryan ‘21and Danielle Nares ‘21 have started the Pre-Med Club. “The mission of our club is to bring students who want to have a career in medicine together to have conversations about what our future goals look like. We hope to also spend our time together searching for local opportunities that could help prepare us for the pre-med track in college,” Ryan explains.

Additionally, the Investment Club, whose presidents are Rex Jensen ‘21 and Aiden Gunn ‘21, wants to teach students to invest in the stock market. “The goal of the club is to teach SLS students about investing. We will have some videos about how to invest, and then we will do stock market simulations. The winners could get a prize!” said Jensen.

While some new clubs are centered on enhancing the SLS community, others are focused on outreach. The First Aid Club presidents, Devon Schiff ‘21 and Jackson Hart ‘21, hope to do both; they will teach SLS students CPR and disaster preparedness, and they will also organize blood drives. “It’s really important to learn basic first aid and CPR skills. They can be life-saving. We’re also going to be helping our community, which can help people earn service hours with friends outside of school,” says Schiff. In terms of time commitment, she further states, “It’s going to be very casual. If you can’t make it to a meeting or a service event, it won’t be a big deal at all. Come to as many meetings and events as you can! We’ll be working with Mr. Haynie and New Canaan Ambulance for some really cool activities.”

Lastly, there are other clubs that are just for fun. The Cheese Club, for example, run by Sarah Bibb ‘20, Peter Gutstein ‘20, and our one-and-only cheese master, Mrs. Gabriel, will not only invite discussion about cheese but will also offer lessons on how to make it. Mrs. Gabriel is even planning a trip for its members to visit the farm where she normally gets milk for her cheese, and student volunteers can milk the cows.

None of these clubs seem quite right for you? There are plenty of other clubs to check out as well. Further, another option is to start a new club. Every year, the number of clubs only increases. All it takes is a shared interest between a few students, a faculty advisor, and a mission statement!