So many new clubs emerge every year at Apex. The club roster is absolutely stacked now; there are dozens of clubs that meet at least every month, with boards of students who volunteer their time and efforts to help run each club. But every club has a purpose, and every student who attends the club meetings has some expectation behind the club. That is why they attend it…right? 

Well, I was curious about this, so I went ahead and asked some students who are involved in clubs. I asked them if they are getting the desired experience out of the club that they seeked from the beginning. To start off my process, I went ahead and asked a club president, getting a viewpoint on what club leadership wants students to get out of their club, from the perspective of the person who is most passionate about this particular club. I interviewed Hadi Rahim, president of the Political Club, about what he wants student attendees of his club to get out of his club meetings. The one thing he wants from them is to teach them “how to stand up for what you believe in.” This is a very important takeaway for a club that teaches students a lot about standing up for what you believe in, and teaching public speaking as well as public debates.

However, students have their own thoughts on why they attend clubs and what experience they want from the club. One club Apex offers is Robotics Club. It is very different from your average club experience because it is a competition club where the members of the club eventually compete in a robotics competition that has an end winner, naturally causing students to strive to do their very best with their creations. Student Jason Armbruster has been a part of the club for years now. I asked him why he attends the club and what drew his interest. He stated, “To win to an extent, you know it’s just fun to go because there’s people with the same hobbies as me. I also get to code, which is something I enjoy to an extent”.

 I also met with a couple students who are involved in Environmental Club, and I asked what kind of activities they do and why students enjoy being a part of it. They said they attend because they care about the environment and how recycling is a benefit of doing so, which environmental club practices more than often. Club member and student Quinn Shiflett explains what particularly draws him to the club’s activities: “In the club we go around and we recycle, and I’m able to contribute to clean up the school…and make posters to advocate for environmental change.” 

Students attend clubs that are specific to their passions and their interests. That’s what makes the large roster of clubs here at Apex so special. The diversity of the clubs and the various different types of activities draws in hundreds of students to stay a bit of extra time at school some days because these clubs can be anything from a fun experience to a safe space away from home for some students.