LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — This year’s Club Rush, which took place from Sept. 18-19, led many Los Alamitos High School students searching for a compelling club. Both new and returning clubs displayed their colorful, eye-catching boards and passed out candy as a way to encourage student participation. 

“There are so many clubs on campus that there’s something for every student. It really gives students the opportunity to find something to connect with on campus,” said Mr. Bowen, assistant principal of student services and attendance.

Students looked for clubs that aligned with their interests, as well as clubs that could provide them with varying benefits. Clubs’ tables were spread across the grass and blacktop in front of the gym with posters to advertise what they are all about. Different opportunities appealed to each student’s interests while visiting each table.

One of the many clubs at Club Rush, Women in Business, had brownies and, on the second day, cookies to pass out to potential new members if they followed their Instagram account. President Mayssa Hofman and Vice President Kate Centeno were thrilled to share information about their club with any interested student. 

“Even though we’re women in business, we have members of any gender. We’re trying to promote the general idea of women in business. We’re trying to bring anyone interested in business,” Centeno said.

Many of the clubs available, like Debate and Model United Nations, focus on building public speaking skills. This could be a great fit for any student who is hoping to strengthen their public speaking skills in a supportive environment.

However, Club Rush was not only filled with academic clubs, as there were a fair share of clubs that catered to students’ hobbies and varying interests, such as art, animal welfare, writing and literature!

“We’re trying to get as many new members as possible. We’ve had this club for three years, and we primarily have upper classmen right now, so were trying to get a younger group,” said Kate Colby, president of A Cause for Paws.

Numerous participating clubs were heritage-based, such as the Asian Appreciation Club, German Club and French Club. These clubs hope to share food and cultural traditions with students, whether or not they come from the club’s central background.

“We’re hoping to get a lot of club members and bring the joy of the French culture. We have French food, and we get to learn about the culture,” said Sarina Forsyte, co-president of French Club.

Several clubs were dedicated to humanitarian causes. One example of this was Teens for Ukraine, which focuses on bringing LAHS students closer to causes that impact the world, not only in Ukraine but worldwide. They also advertised tutoring services and community service hours that LAHS students could take part in.

The majority of LAHS students expressed interest in using clubs as an opportunity to find a way to explore their interests beyond their classes, meet new people and learn more about future careers. Clubs are a great way to expand your knowledge and discover an unknown interest.

If you didn’t sign up for a club at Club Rush, that doesn’t mean you can’t join later.  To learn more about meeting times, check out a club’s Instagram page. Joining a club isn’t a year-long commitment; you don’t have to go to every meeting, so feel free to leave clubs and join new ones as your interests shift!

“There a lot of clubs, and there’s a lot of different opportunities,” said freshman Chloe Hawkins.