It is the start of another school year at Wilmington Friends, and with that always comes excitement and a little bit of nervousness. As we begin to settle into our routines, something we have to be excited about is the start of clubs and committees. Friends actually has 47 registered clubs this year, more than the school has ever had before! Some clubs are made to discuss worldwide issues, some are to provide a safe space for specific groups of people, some are to learn about things, and others are just for fun! What they all have in common is the community they provide for their members and the friendships that they help to build.

Maggie Coons ’18 talked about one of the clubs she is a part of called GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance). This club strives to provide a place where people can speak their minds without judgement on LGBT+ issues. Of the club, she comments, “I really like the community GSA provides because it’s a safe space where all kids can go whether they are queer or straight.” Coons is a member of several other clubs as well. She noted, “I like clubs, because people are coming together for something they like and are passionate about.” Maggie, like many others, goes to clubs to use their voice on topics that matter to them, and to connect with other people with the same interests.

Mary Agne is the clerk of Half the Sky, a feminist club that focuses on gender inequality and how to combat it. It is easy to tell that she is very passionate about her club. She says: “The community comes together because we see gender inequality is a big issue. This crosses our boundaries of interests and friend groups because it’s an issue that personally affects us all, and that’s really powerful.” She also mentioned her experience with clerking the club: “I love clerking Half the Sky because I love finding the things that bring us together.” Half the Sky, among other clubs, helps people share their opinions in a community that cares about them.

Students are not the only community members involved in clubs. Mr. Ergueta is a history teacher at Friends and overseer of multiple clubs at the school. He spoke on the importance of clubs at school, “I love to see how kids get involved in their interests. The friends they find become very important to them: this can cut across classes. One thing kids do enjoy about school is clubs and more students should take advantage of them.” As Mr. Ergueta mentioned, clubs are a fun and beneficial part of school that we shouldn’t take for granted. They can be a great way to share your interests with a wider group, no matter what that interest may be.

As students begin to start to familiarize themselves with classes and classmates, they are encouraged to take a look at the list of clubs, ask friends where they go, and even push themselves out of their comfort zones. It is clear that the studnet body feels that, no matter what students choose to do, they are sure to learn new things and find a community at Wilmington Friends school.