With a vast list of wide-ranging options and a dedicated timeslot, last year, all of our middle schoolers joined a club in a new 8th period, incorporated into the curriculum on Wednesdays, from 1:15 to 2:00 p.m.
“We wanted to provide students with opportunities to experience things they might not otherwise, such as hands-on cooking, Tai Chi, Israeli sports, and playing in a rock band,” says Amy Holtzer, The Leffell Middle School principal, adding, “These are just a few of the club options we’ve created.”
During this year’s Club Fair held in the gym, a total of 20 new and diverse clubs were showcased in individual stations, enabling students to visit each one, speak with faculty about details, and ask many questions. Choosing just one club wasn’t easy, though, as our unique and varied selections ranged from Jewelry Making to Memory Book, to Crafts Club and Strategy Board Games. In the end, the most popular choices were:
Jewish Cooking Around the World, in which students learn about Jewish communities and their distinct cuisines (and take home recipes sampled in the classroom!).
Dungeons & Dragons, where students learn strategies to master this immersive fantasy role-play game.
And a close call between Soccer and Basketball, where students improve their skills under the direction of faculty coaches, and the Harry Potter Club, which combines puzzles and other brain challenges based on the beloved Harry Potter franchise, with chesed work.
In addition to important learning experiences, the Club period is all about connecting through mutual interests — not only among students, but among students and faculty.
“The Club period enables inter-grade experiences, as all three middle school levels are in clubs together,” says Holtzer. “And it provides students with opportunities for bonding and building important relationships between the adults leading the clubs and students, beyond the traditional classroom setting.”
Ultimately, sparking interest in something new while connecting with others enriches the overall well-being of our youth — and that’s what The Leffell School is all about.
