By Lindsay Newfeld

While Tempe Prep may be one of the smallest schools in Arizona, it is among the best in the state, both academically and athletically. The same goes for our wide array of school clubs and extracurricular activities. From Cantamus to French Club to Speech and Debate, Tempe Prep has it all.

Joining clubs on campus is a great way to meet new people in other grades that you might not necessarily interact with otherwise. These clubs are also a fantastic opportunity to learn and experience a variety of different subjects that aren’t generally taught in the classroom. Additionally, the school year has just started, so this is a great time to join new clubs on campus!

For high school students, Tempe Prep has foreign language clubs associated with each of the languages offered at the high school level: German, French, Spanish and Latin. You also do not necessarily have to be in a certain language class to join that specific club.

Some fairly new clubs have also returned to campus for another year, including the Environmental Club, HOPE Crew, and Herstory Club. All three of these clubs were first introduced last year and were received so well by the student body that they have returned.

High school students who are ready for larger time commitments can also look into joining our FIRST Robotics Team or our Speech and Debate team. Both of these clubs compete with other schools from around the state and require much time, effort, and commitment in preparing for those competitions. While these two clubs may sound intimidating, they are both open to all students in grades 9-12. You do not need to have any sort of prior experience or knowledge in order to join them, as long as you are interested and willing to work hard there will always be a place for you on the team!

There are also many clubs on campus that are open to both junior high and high school students. Newspaper and Yearbook are both great opportunities for students interested in journalism and photography. Odyssey of the Mind and Art Club are also open to all Tempe Prep students and are geared towards those who wish to express themselves in more creative ways.

Those students who are more musically inclined can join Beginning Strings, for students who have little to no experience playing a musical instrument. The Sinfonia Orchestra is also open to all students in grades 6-12 who have more knowledge in playing their instruments. Junior high students also have their own VEX Junior High Robotics team, which competes separately from the high school team.

If you are interested in any of these clubs, their meeting times can often be found on different flyers around the school. You can also speak to a person you know is already in that club and talk to them about joining, or seek out a teacher you know to be involved with the club. Once you have decided you wish to join a club, make sure to sign up and register on the Tempe Prep website.

Extracurricular activities are an integral part of Tempe Prep; do not be afraid to join a club you are interested in. They are all open to new members and create a very welcoming environment for newcomers!