Written by: Aribeth Gu:
At Wheatley, fall’s arrival at our doorsteps is marked with the air of trifold boards falling and the competition boiling between the club next door. As 9th-12th grade existing club members set up boards early second period, snarky remarks were made and friendships were torn with the anticipation for new blood. The new 8th graders arriving at the club fair become the perfect feeding ground for clubs prepared to grow and dominate. Clubs lined the perimeter of our courtyard, set up like piranhas swarming their prey. Chaos ensued as the 8th graders flooded in through the red doors leading into the courtyard. Each equipped with its own arsenal of persuasion tactics, a diverse group of clubs quickly prepared their soldiers for the battlefront. Our own Wildcat enticed 8th graders with a trifold featuring a ferocious design of our Wheatley mascot. Debate, with lines and lines of gleaming trophies blinding the masses, gathered a quick swarm with the simple slogan: “Who wants to be a lawyer when they grow up?”. Vintage distributed our school’s literary magazine free to any student interested in signing up. With only three periods to convince the maximum amount of students to participate, students acted fast. New up and coming clubs, such as the Stock Market Club, wore a banner as a blanket and capitalized on the friends of their younger siblings. Unfortunately, some clubs were unable to secure a spot for their club on the outer perimeter. However, Wheatley students are quick on their feet and quickly devise plans to garner attention for their activity. Student Senate and Science Olympiad shared a table, and friendships were torn as wildly different programs fought to gain the sign-ups of the same kids. Biases against scientists and politicians were thrown around and stereotypes were cast. The great battle for the 8th graders commenced. Other clubs used this moment to display their individuality. Brainstormers took on a more door-to-door guerilla marketing tactic with Shruti waving the poster across our grassy courtyard. The trophy really went to the Jazz ensemble, with JJ performing backflips as Arsal played a melodious tune on his keyboard. The real question is now, which of the students who signed up will actually attend the first meetings? And which of the tens will stay for the year?
Check out Club Fair photos here!