Seven new clubs presented to students at Club Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 4, and Thursday, Sept. 5, joining the ranks of the dozens of clubs already on campus.
In Conversation Club, students will gather to discuss politics and current events, but in a controlled environment. According to founder Ethan Huang, students focus on discussing the reasons people value their own opinion so highly, and try to produce productive conversations through invoking empathy. “We want to understand others’ viewpoints and have civil discussions rather than arguing,” Huang said. Conversation Club meets on Wednesdays at lunch in room.
During the development of Silicon Valley, many microchip companies discarded the organic solvents they used to make their products into the ground, according to Phyto Club founder Carson Trail. Phyto Club is dedicated to cleaning up toxic waste and is working on a NASA project that uses trees and bacteria to decompose it. They inject decomposing bacteria into trees that will break down the organic solvents in the ground, eliminating them from the environment and reversing the change that microchip companies made. Phyto Club meets every-other Monday at lunch in room 121.
Codet Club teaches students the basics of how to code. Every Monday, club members who are experienced coders will go to Blach Intermediate School and teach the students to program. Club members who are beginners will learn how to code at club meetings. Meetings are on Wednesdays at lunch in room 617.
Site Club works on many different ways to bring change to MVHS using ecology, according to their poster at Club Arena. The club prioritizes reducing the school’s environmental footprint through initiatives such as introducing composting services and biodegradable utensils, recycling unused notebooks, planting new trees, creating bike-friendly ways to get to MVHS, and expanding and providing accessible carpools, according to their poster. Meetings are on Mondays at lunch in room 205.
Shakespeare can be very difficult for high school students to enjoy due to it being written in Early Modern English, according to Shakespeare Club founder Lucy Allebest. In Shakespeare Club, students will exercise several different methods to clear up any confusion about the language used. They will read and act out scenes, as well as watch modern adaptations to make the work of Shakespeare more enjoyable and easier to understand. They meet on the second and fourth Thursday of every month in room P2.
According to their website, the Sunrise Movement is focused specifically on climate change activism. The movement is not just at MVHS; the club is connected to a national network of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across the US. They are advocating for leaders who will stand up for the health of the citizens. According to their poster, the MVHS club will attend and organize climate change awareness rallies and marches.
The Jewish Student Union seeks to represent Jewish traditions within the MVHS community. According to club founder Evelyn Yaskin, at their meetings they will learn about and celebrate Jewish holidays. They welcome students of all faiths and beliefs, according to Yaskin. They meet every Friday at lunch in room 609.
Math Modeling Club combines math and models, teaching students to use their mathematical skills and apply them to real life situations. The Math Modeling Club will be competing in nationwide competitions that test students’ math and modeling abilities, according to club founder Katherine Wang. They meet every Thursday at lunch in room 411.
Although not an official school organization, students calling themselves the Abstinence Club garnered a large crowd. Meeting place and time not specified.