Nandi Smith (via Canva)

Exciting activities are expected for this school year’s upcoming Club Rush, which will be held on Sept. 21 and 22 at lunch.

LOS ALAMITOS, CA – At the back of Los Alamitos High School’s campus by the gym, excited and anxious students gather around crowded tables to browse pamphlets, flyers, and posters. Eager club members stand behind tables, drawing in students with candy or desserts. Overwhelming and loud, the excitement of Club Rush returns every year. 

Club Rush is coming up this Thursday and Friday, Sept. 21 and 22. Los Al holds this event held every school year to showcase the hundreds of amazing clubs at Los Al. 

“A bunch of clubs can show off what they’re about, and it can give people an opportunity to join new clubs,” said Maddie Hernandez, a sophomore and ASB Club Commissioner. 

Club Rush is full of interesting and unique returning clubs, such as the Snow Sports Club, along with quite the line-up of new clubs this year. Two new clubs this year are Los Al Local Spotlight and Second Chance Sports Club.

Los Al Local Spotlight is a club is led by club presidents Isabella Kira and Kyan Whiten, who are both juniors. They plan to highlight local small businesses every month and showcase them through promotional videos. 

“We are highlighting local businesses in the area and showcasing what they have and how it’s unique to Los Al. [We also want to show] what they sell and how you can buy or order from them,” Whiten said. 

The presidents hope to impact Los Al by allowing students to grow their film knowledge, collaborative skills, and build a professional portfolio of work. They also have a goal to help increase business in the community.

“We are promoting businesses that aren’t, for example, doing well and businesses that deserve to be recognized because they are an important part of Los Al,” said Kira. 

Another new club is Los Al’s Second Chance Sports Club. This club is led by juniors Brooklyn Hernandez and Kathryn Chin. Their goal is to help kids and minority communities by redistributing sports equipment to lower socioeconomic communities that can’t afford it. Brooklyn Hernandez and Chin hope that this club will help many kids who are less fortunate and give them opportunities to play their favorite sports. 

“Most kids in those areas don’t have access to equipment, which doesn’t allow them to play sports. We think it’s a really important part of a kid’s childhood and growing up to have that opportunity,” Brooklyn Hernandez said. 

With their club, the presidents want students at Los Al to reflect on their privileges and realize how many other kids do not have access to the same equipment that Griffins do. 

Brooklyn Hernandez started her club with Chin as an outside project. Her uncle is part of the sports industry and told her that kids in areas outside of Los Alamitos need sports equipment. Donations can be made through their club, and everything is appreciated. 

Some returning clubs this year that are always a hit are the Save Promise Club, GWAM (Griffins with a Mission), Gay-Straight Alliance, Ethnic Studies, and Asian Culture Club. This year, Los Al can expect more students to join clubs because of an increase in new clubs with a variety of interests and concepts.

“[The addition of new clubs is] important because there’s some interest that students have that [isn’t focused] on [an existing] club,” Maddie Hernandez said. 

Club Rush is a great event for students to find a community that fits their interests and a way to show Griffins what they are about. 

According to Maddie Hernandez, some of the most popular clubs include those that focus on team or community awareness. 

“MUN [and] Teens for Climate Change last year [were] really popular, [and] Griffin Buddies,” she said. 

These clubs are among the many others at Los Al that promote a fight against specific issues and recurring problems, such as A Cause for Paws’ mission to help rescue animals in our community.

With all of this in mind, don’t forget to attend Club Rush this year and check out all the new clubs, including new clubs like Los Al Local Spotlight and Second Chance Sports Club! Have fun, Griffins!