Lights, Camera, Cupcakes: A Coveted, Captivating Clubs Fair

During the Clubs Fair on 17 May, MGCI students enjoyed freshly popped popcorn while learning about service from Key Club and let their imaginations run free when they decorated cupcakes to get a glimpse of the Culinary Club. The event brought smiles to the faces of numerous students, leaving them with an unforgettable time and new interests to pursue.

The Clubs Fair was a showcase event hosted by the Student Activities Council (SAC) giving students the opportunity to interact with new hobbies and other students.

There were more than twenty-five participating clubs, falling under the categories of humanitarian, social justice, art, hobbies, and academic clubs.

Isabel Liu, the Jr. Clubs Coordinator, spoke highly of the importance of the Clubs Fair: “I want people to be able to be familiar with the school community involving extracurriculars as well as gain new experiences by trying new things through participating in clubs.”

As students roamed the hallways, they found the Clubs Fair extremely enjoyable and informative. Grade 9 student, Patricia Zhang, explained how Clubs Fair opened her to new experiences. “Clubs Fair is an interesting experience and I heard cool things were happening, such as selling ice cream,” she said. “I found all the clubs extremely interesting, and how their culture is distinct yet special. I saw many clubs that interested me, such as robotics. Clubs fair was cool.” 

Many club executives and members shared positive experiences while compiling numerous activities and demonstrations to attract new members. A unique club at the fair was The Reckoner. The Editor-in-Chief, Sumedh Dhanvanthry, emphasized the importance of student voice and diversity in the school newspaper. “The goal is to get more mainstream involvement, and this year, we had a record number of applications, and we’re committed to continuing that in the future. All students are welcome to submit work to be a part of The Reckoner as a guest submission, by emailing [email protected]. Or, students can apply to be a staff member next year in September.” The Reckoner publishes content from school news to editorial pieces, and the visual arts, 

Another eye-catching club was Art Council. As club co-president Hateem described, “The club is a great way for students to collaborate with each other while creating art with each other.” In the past, Art Council has taken on great projects, such as creating murals in the school, designing the Ramadan banner, and making cards for the elderly every year. Students can join Art Council by dropping in at meetings, in room 113 on Tuesday afternoons. Other unique art clubs included Yarn Talk, Musical Theater Club, and Singing Club, each offering entertaining and meaningful activities for students.

Students were also introduced to a wide variety of games. Games club and the Trading Card Game Club (TCG) regularly host activities that provide a relaxing environment for students to play board games or card games respectively. As the Games Club executive put it, “We play various games at school, allowing students, especially new students, to connect with others and foster friendships while playing board games.”

Next to the TCG stand was the Robotics Club, which provided activity demonstrations and had many achievements to bolster. Club executive Farooq provided students with valuable information about the club, saying, “We are very proud of our winning robot, which won at our first worlds. At Clubs Fair, we’re allowing students to drive a robot, to gain the experience of what we do at Robotics Club. We also have some puzzles for students to solve, which provides an insight into what builders do at the club. Students can join robotics by dropping in Tuesdays or Thursdays after school in room 102.” Like Robotics Club, the Physics Club and the Canadian Young Physicists Tournament Club (CaYPT) teamed up to provide students with a mountain of snacks, a Kahoot game, and a balloon-powered car demonstration. 

Down the hall to the Robotics Club was the Black Student Association (BSA). The BSA seeks to open discussion to students on various issues impacting the black community while supporting members and listening to their experiences. Moreover, the BSA educates MGCI on issues relating to the black community, and how students can be allies. During the fair, the club was selling bags of treats in addition to hosting a sports competition and playing music, which attracted a sea of students.

The cafeteria was bustling with students and clubs. One of MGCI’s largest and oldest clubs, Key Club, was also in attendance. Club executive Sarah Li stressed the importance of student service. “We promote student leadership and involvement in the community,” she said. “Even as a youth, when we don’t have the money and independence as adults, we still have time and skills to dedicate to making the world a better place.” Key Club has taken on important projects in the school, such as working with UNICEF, making cards for veterans, hosting a school food drive, selling roses on Valentine’s Day, providing students with school supplies with the Staples backpack project, planting trees, and organizing an upcoming drive for care packages for the homeless.

Overall, there was a great turnout for the Clubs Fair, with students being actively inspired to gain new opportunities and experiences. Provided with such a great opportunity to explore newfound interests, there is a club for all students. With all the fun games, demonstrations, snacks, and opportunities provided, students will have lots of fun joining clubs that they found interesting during Clubs Fair.