On October 10, JP Stevens held its annual club fair. Encouraging academic and extracurricular participation, the club fair is highly anticipated at the beginning of each year. Students across all grades flocked to the school’s old gym, viewing creative presentations of a variety of the club booths which appealed to students with a range of passions and academic interests. 

A festive environment was set by the DJ Club booth, which played a variety of popular songs such as FE!N by Travis Scott and others. The DJ club brings together students with a fondness for music, representing just a part of the school’s vibrant admiration for the arts, as do other school organizations such as the Theatre Club, Art Club, and different literary magazines. 

Other booths included our school’s newspaper, The Hawkeye; INK Magazine; and The Weekly. These clubs represent our student body’s passion for creative writing, as well as for informing others about our school’s upcoming events, keeping everyone up to date. Battle of the Books and the Poetry Slam Club are also great clubs for students looking to present their literary and speaking passions. 

Booths for the science clubs were especially popular among the students, encompassing Chemistry Club, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl, Physics Club, Astronomy Club, and the new Biology Club. Within these organizations, like minded students with a passion for science discuss innovations and concepts. Science Olympiad and Science Bowl, in particular, enable students to collaborate in regional and national competitions to participate in answering questions , testing their knowledge and creative thinking.  

There were booths for clubs involving technology and engineering, including Cyberhawks, Girls who Code, ACE (Architecture, Construction, & Engineering), and Robotics. These clubs allow students who are passionate about technological science to collaborate within their fields, building the skills of leadership and creativity in the process.    

Robotics, for example, allows students who specialize in a variety of skills–mechanical, programming, electrical, marketing, and art–to come together to create a robot which performs a variety of intricate tasks. “Being an operations member on robotics is truly a unique experience,” stated administrative executive-board member Saanvi Budigam. “Even if you don’t have expertise with robots or coding, you can excel in what you are good at. On the team, I do both filmmaking and finance because that is what I excel at and enjoy.”

Competition clubs for business and public speaking were also presented. Examples include DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), Model United Nations, Mock Trial, Research Society, and TedX. Such clubs are essential for students to learn about and become involved in world affairs, as well as for developing vital leadership and collaborative skills. Particularly, DECA enables students to make presentations surrounding fields like marketing, finance, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. These presentations are given in statewide and national competitions: students from JP participated in the national International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in California earlier this year. 

Many students gathered around the newly-established club Hawks of Wall Street. This club, facilitating interest in personal finance and business, is especially important for the student body as DECA was previously the only business-related club at JP. 

“Being a part of DECA has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and meet with so many new individuals,” Remarked DECA executive-board member Shannon Zhang. “Serving on board for DECA has given me the opportunity to collaborate with other passionate students and make a meaningful difference in our community.”

Community service and advocacy groups were also advertised, including FCCLA, Girl Up, JPS PAWS, H.A.W.K.S, and Project Sunshine. FCCLA emphasizes the importance of family consumer sciences, child development, and community fundraising. It holds bake sales at the school and partakes in regional and national conferences. H.A.W.K.S allows students to become especially involved within the school community, volunteering for local events and organizing the annual freshman orientation. 

The annual club fair was a great way for students to explore their interests and be ready to become involved in the upcoming school year. With a variety of school organizations which appeal to so many different interests, there is truly something for every student.