One of my favorite NHS lunchtime activities each semester is Club Days.
The grassy area outside the music room becomes packed with tables, posters, music, students, sign-ups, incentives (candy galore!), and all kinds of good vibes as kids seek peers with similar interests or the opportunity to experience something new.
Club Day for Fall 2021 was last Wednesday. This year 46 club leaders vied for new members to join such diverse offerings as Dance Club, Skate Club, Peer Tutoring Club, Children for Change, ASL Club, Culture Club, Friday Music Club, SAGA (our LGBTQ+ group), Art Music Club, and Vinyl Collectors Club.
“I joined three,” many told me. “I signed up for 5,” another shared.
“Ms Cortez, look at how many sign-ups we got!” gushed more than one club president.
It’s clear MSA students are both club initiators and potential members and it’s also obvious that art is widely seen as a vehicle to build relationships and empathy no matter what programs and classes students take at Novato High.
Current parents — take time to ask your artist scholar about club fair today and how they may have engaged in the process. If your teen missed out, don’t worry! Students can sign up anytime. Check out the club list and schedule here.
Arts, wellness, equity, and happy teenagers — if I haven’t told you recently, I LOVE my job.
Warmly,
Michelle Cortez