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Reviewing 4 Unexpectedly Exciting New Clubs at BHS
I doubt that most people were able to get to know all the new clubs at Bellevue High School on Tuesday just from the club fair, which is unfortunate since there are dozens of unique and fantastic ones. Some are newer than others and much less known than others. After taking a quick look at various newly approved clubs at BHS, I handpicked four of the most intriguing ones to interview. These are clubs I thought may be hidden gems, less known and understood by the public. And the founder of a club with a niche club name, I thought it would certainly help both the club officers and students to better know what opportunities are around us.
1) Bright Hearts Initiative (third Monday each month, 3:30 in room 2112)
I was a bit confused with the name, so I’ll just have the founder, Chloe Carson, explain it.
“We’re planning on encouragement cards and care packages for kids in hospitals, organizing volunteering opportunities and fundraising,” says Carson. “Our goal is to turn small acts of kindness into actual, meaningful impact.”
Initially, I was skeptical of the uniqueness of the club, as it seemed like just a vague concept. But Carson says that a lot of people want to spread kindness and help others, but a lack of opportunities discourages them. While I believe there is never a lack of opportunities for kindness, they often hide in plain sight. There’s no excuse to be self-centered with the Bright Hearts Initiative. Sometimes we think just sending cards won’t mean anything, but we struggle to understand the circumstances of people truly in hardship. When life seems so bent against you, even a word of compassion could mean the world.
2) Founder’s Club (biweekly on Thursdays, 3:30 in room 0108)
When my father forced me to read Steve Jobs’s biography, it made me want to be an entrepreneur, but not because I wanted to change the world. I was just thoroughly disappointed with the payroll of most conventional jobs. Whether you have a great idea you want to bring to the world or is simply like me, Founder’s club might be for you.
“Founders Club is a startup club, kind of like Y Combinator for high schoolers,” founder (get it?) Arham Bhandari says. “Members build a real business, app, website, or passion project with AI tools.”
But it’s not just your typical club for unserious hobbyists. The major event called Pitch Night at the end of each year gathers investors, and the members with the best project can win $1,000.
“We bring in industry professionals as mentors who give real guidance and networking. We also encourage members to enter competitions,” says Bhandari.
And for high schoolers who place getting into a prestigious college as their top goal in life (not healthy, guys), this provides an opportunity for you to show that you aren’t just a dreamer. You’ve made something of your own, and it could be published or even make you money. You can say that you’ve got what it takes to succeed in the real world, because you’ll learn what you can’t in a syllabus.
3) Fencing Club (every Thursday, 3:30 in room 1121)
As intriguing as fencing club is, one unfortunately might not be able to actually fence on a weekly basis.
“I’m going to have to talk a little with ASB about what I can and can’t do, but probably more events like the [fencing] assembly last year” says founder Jaelynn Shin.
There’s also going to be tournaments outside of school which you could sign up through the club. But usually, they’ll teach some simple techniques and the history behind fencing. And while it might not help you defeat a robber, it could help you sidestep obstructions in the hallways with meticulous footwork. But isn’t it quite dangerous?
“Fencing is actually really safe,” Shin says. “We have a lot of protective gear, but even if we aren’t allowed gear, we can spar with pool noodles.”
Countless professionals dedicate their lives to fencing, and Shin is an example of that, having taken a whole year off in freshman year to pursue this career. But even as a hobbyist, a sport like fencing provides coordination, problem solving skills, and just a whole lot of fun. My house has a traditional Chinese prop sword, so I might bring it to the club one day.
4) American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative (Fridays, 3:30 in room 1116)
This may be the most specific and niche sounding club I’ve heard of, but clearly they’ve been passed by ASB for good reason.
“We encourage at-risk people to get screened for lung cancer, the deadliest cancer in America,” says founder Mona Ayoubzadeh-Bartos.
But high schoolers certainly don’t need to be screened for cancer, right? Bartos says no. That is why members get to spread awareness through posters, social media, and talking to relatives, and instead. There are no barriers to entry, but so many opportunities await. Already in planning are collaborations with UW students, talks by professionals, and internships in outreach events.
“Talking to just one person could possibly save a life,” says Bartos.
Usually, the clubs we hear about are either long-established ones like DECA or those who tell us exactly what they do: aerospace, Muslim culture, physics, etc. But sometimes, the most niche clubs are the most down-to-earth and most engaging. The four new clubs I happened to find intriguing are just a subset of dozens, and they’re filled with determination. I trust that there are many more equally fascinating clubs across the school. Explore activities and give them a chance to impress you. I’m excited to see how they will develop in the coming months, and you should too.
