By Anah Hargrove
Tempe Prep has gone clubbin’! That’s right, you heard me! TPA has many new clubs this year, all catering to every type of audience. The mathletes can join Math Club by Annie Meacham, writers can join CALIP by Allena De Soto-Facio, and the classics clan can join Middle School Classics Club!
Not only that but we have new additions to older clubs. Señor Cardoso is adding a Spanish discussions aspect to the Spanish Club, where students can only speak in Spanish about everyday topics. This opportunity will strengthen your Spanish vocabulary and discussion skills.
In the meantime, Environmental Club is becoming greener by trying a new compost system that will benefit TPA and the environment. Now you can feel less guilty about throwing away leftover food! Lastly, the addition of the National Junior Classical League to Classics Club! Now you middle schoolers have a fancy title to go with your resume!
CALIP, (Creative Association of Literarily Inclined Persons) was created by Senior Allena De Soto-Facio. She “felt that students are not given the opportunity to write creatively” so she created a club where students can be free to write whatever they want, without having to worry about the constraints of a prompt. Allena started this club because she “wanted the ability to share work with other students and mentor them in their writing skills.” Writing can be challenging, whether you’re writing a Humane Letters essay or an article for a newspaper. But Allena is there to help those who need it. She wants to see more people join the club. Her goal for the club is to have a chill, laid-back environment for people to creatively write, without the stress. She also hopes that the club will continue once she graduates next year. In the future, Allena would like to give the students the opportunity to get their works published!
Can you math? Annie Meacham can and she wants all the mathletes to join her club. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to join! Just the love for math is enough. Annie started this club because she “enjoys math” and was inspired by outside organizations like Arizona Quizbowl, and a math and science program she did at Barrett ASU. She started this club due to her love for math and interest in math competitions. She hopes in the future to enter competitions with other schools. She also wants to see a growth in members and hopes to have a good size team by the time she graduates. You may be wondering, “Do I have to be good at math to join?” NOPE! Annie says that math club is “good for people not strong in math, and challenges the mind to help grasp the concept of math better.” This club can be a great addition to your math class. Imagine doing better in math because you get extra practice at Math Club!
Calling the middle school classics crew. Ms. Polumbo has started some cool just for you! The National Junior Classical League to Classics Club. Whoa that’s a mouthful! Middle school now has a Classic Club! Run by Ms. Polumbo, Classics Club is a place where students can learn more about the language, culture, art, history, and mythology of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Ms. Polumbo is a new teacher this year, but isn’t new to the Classics Club community. In fact, she is the state chair of the Junior Classics Club. She networks with other Latin teachers in schools all over Arizona. Her main goal is to resurrect this club and bring it to the light again. Tempe Prep used to have one, but it phased out over the years. Now, middle schoolers can enjoy Classics Club just like the high schoolers. She hopes to have the members participate at state competitions, and hopes this will lead students to come out of their shells and learn to be active participants in and out of the classroom. She wants students to meet and compete with other Latin/Greek students around the nation.
All in all, Tempe Prep has a lot to offer this year. Check out what’s going on around campus. Join new clubs and broaden your hobbies. See you at club central!