Freshmen: Get involved in clubs! (Part 1)
Niles North has every opportunity under the sun to get Freshmen involved in an activity or club that caters to any and all interests, from crafts and culture to business skills. The fall semester is a great time to get familiar with all that the school has to offer, and it’s a great time to come together within the community to meet new faces.
Here are just a few to keep an eye out for:
The South Asian Student Association, better known as SASA, meets in room 2060 after school once a month on Thursdays. SASA promotes a fun, inclusive environment for all who identify as South Asian, where students can engage in events like Garba, Henna, and SASA Night to celebrate the diverse culture.
One of the Presidents of the club senior Sarah Doha, talked about one of the highlights being the engagement between the members and learning about each other’s experiences. “I am personally looking forward to our SASA night, because we have great music, food, activities, and get to dress up in our cultural clothes,” Doha said.
Viking Strings had its first meeting of the school year on Sept. 21 and will continue to take place on Wednesdays in room 1635 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Mrs. Page is the sponsor and created the club in 2014 as a space for students to come together with their peers to create music. The genres played range from hip hop, movie themes, rock, pop, and so much more. The student ensembles usually feature instruments like guitar, bass, drums, piano, violin, ukulele, and vocals, but are not limited to just those mentioned.
There are several opportunities throughout the year for ensemble performances in school and at other outside venues. Mrs. Page is looking forward to “another great year of creating music together!”
Climate Change Club meets every Tuesday after school in 2320. The Club gets the community engaged and talks about the ever-so-relevant issues regarding climate change, as well as the ways to start to tackle the issue within the school. There are multiple student-run fundraisers and crafts offered throughout the year, as well as the big earth week event that’s school-wide.
Co-president senior Zoe Lau spoke on the earth week campaign, and how “each day at North had a different theme/activity, including a terrarium and pin sale that gained a lot of attention and sold out within an hour!” The club is looking forward to coming up with fresh ideas and getting the entire school involved in making a difference.
Fashion Club meets once a month after school on Thursdays in room 1525. The club offers countless crafts during the year like beading, embroidery personalization, and screen printing to name a few, but also serves a purpose as an open sewing lab for students already involved in the fashion classes during the day. Every year the club draws in a pretty close-knit community of all grade levels and interests in the field to create some really unique projects that students get to take home at the end of every meeting.
Health Occupations Students of America, aka HOSA, meets every other Monday in room 2070. The club focuses on engaging students who are looking at future careers in the world of medicine. HOSA offers a collaborative environment between students, whether that is during the variety of medical games played, or preparing with one another for competitions. During the year, the club also has opportunities for students to hear from professional speakers that come in to offer their expertise.
Vice president senior Keemia Zandiani said something she’s looking forward to is “the competitions and having a good time with my HOSA buddies.”
GSA or Gender/Sexuality Acceptance meets in 1685 every other Wednesday. The club was built on the values of the community. Co-president senior Jo Eaddy said, “homophobia at Niles North is a major issue. I want GSA to feel like an accepting home for those that don’t have that.”
The club creates opportunities for students to make more queer friends and have conversations surrounding identities and self-expression. Freshmen can look forward to many exciting events during the year, and if participation in the club is continued into junior and senior year, Queer Prom is a highlight for all involved!
Bella Kaminsky is a Senior, who is looking forward to graduating in the hopes of pursuing a career in journalism. In her free time, she enjoys writing...
