Did you know that you can now go fishing every week as part of a school club? How about cooking new recipes, exploring various cultures, or playing your favorite games? Thanks to the eight new clubs at Dobbs Ferry this year, you can do all this and more! The student leaders of these new extracurriculars had an idea for a club and decided to execute their idea, creating an inclusive space for everyone to engage in new activities. The clubs explore various topics, from community service to education to hobbies to culture, and many of the clubs are already hugely popular.
It’s also much easier to engage in clubs this year. Since school ends 30 minutes earlier than last year, the clubs also start and end earlier. This creates time for students to then devote to homework, sports, or other activities.
Three of the new clubs this year are culturally oriented: Spanish Club, Italian Club, and Cookbook Club.
The French Club was incredibly popular last year, so two juniors, Ashley Wu and Antara Mishra, advocated for a Spanish Club while two others, Gwen Ommen and Bianca Ambrosi, created an Italian Club. The Spanish Club meets every few weeks, and each meeting highlights a different aspect of Spanish culture. The club is very relaxed and open, and people of all different levels of Spanish and non-Spanish speakers can join the club. Whether to practice the language in a relaxed environment, learn about Spanish culture, play games, or even to eat the free guacamole or other foods sometimes provided, there are plenty of fun things to do. “It’s a great way to make friends, try new things, and appreciate the global impact of the Spanish language,” says co-president Ashley Wu, and it creates community alongside making class feel more important, enjoyable, and personal for Spanish students. The club meets in Ms. Lois’s room, number 111, on Mondays.
Although not a language club, the Cookbook Club also has a strong cultural component. Founded by Ashley Wu and Sophia Maltby, it meets monthly in Ms. Wing’s room (216) or in the commons. Each meeting, the club votes on a cookbook, and each member cooks a recipe from that cookbook to then share their dish with the group. The club discusses the recipes, allowing members to try a variety of new types of food. Not only do meetings develop cooking skills, but the club also builds community and connects people through different types of food and cultures. Anyone can join the club, regardless of prior experience.
There are also two new service clubs in Dobbs Ferry this year: JCK Foundation and GLAM4GOOD. The JCK Foundation is a nonprofit mental health organization based in Dobbs Ferry. The club is partnering with the organization to “reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and create a more open environment for our classmates to feel comfortable with their feelings,” say co-presidents Yael Klein and Sara Faisal. The club works to reduce the negative connotations around mental health and make an impact on DFHS. The club meets in Ms. Addona’s room (211) twice a month on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. GLAM4GOOD, the other service club, donates unused clothing and merchandise to families in need. The organization’s goal is to address clothing insecurity in the United States. It meets in Ms. Bell’s room #316 a few times per month. The club raises money for the organization and volunteers at the GLAM4GOOD office and events hosted by GLAM4GOOD. President Chloe Hogan says that the club offers “really good volunteer work, easy, quick meetings, and it’s also fun!” Members will also learn about raising money and how the organization works.
The next two clubs, Wizards of the Hudson and the Fishing Club, are based on hobbies. In the Fishing Club, members actually get to fish around Westchester! The club visits a different fishing spot each week–their first two trips this fall were to Tarrytown reservoir and Halsey pond. Members clean up fishing areas as well, contributing to the well-being of our green spaces. The Fishing Club creates an opportunity to hang out with friends and make new ones, while making it easier for students to participate in fishing. It meets during the spring and fall, and the club encourages everyone to join, from experienced fishermen to people who have never fished before. Co-president Hudson Bayer is really excited to “share the enjoyment that [he has] gotten from fishing [with the] high school.” He wants to teach everything that he has learned and create great experiences, his philosophy being that “so many memories can be made if you go out fishing for just one day!”
Wizards of the Hudson/Tabletop Club is a new club that is an extension of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Club from last year. It now encompasses Magic: the Gathering (MTG) alongside D&D. Both games are created by Wizards of the Coast and are incredibly social and fun. The new addition, Magic: The Gathering, is a card game where players create decks from the 30,000+ cards available in the game and play them against their friends in 2-4 player formats. Cards are provided by the club. Both D&D and MTG create memorable and enjoyable experiences that promote creativity and bonding between the players. Member Joseph Benedetto says that it is “a chill atmosphere where I can hang with friends.” The club welcomes both experienced players and beginners. It meets biweekly on Fridays in Ms. Henry’s room (118) for those looking to join!
Finally, an educational club: Finance Club. While DFHS has “Financial Literacy” and “Business for the 21st Century” as electives, this club covers different aspects of finance chosen by members. Mr. Ferro teaches students about various topics within finance, and students will discuss the topics themselves. It is one of the few primarily educational clubs at Dobbs Ferry, and it meets twice a month on Wednesdays in room 287.
There are eight exciting new clubs in Dobbs Ferry this year, and among the 45 clubs to choose from, there is a space for everyone. This adds to Dobbs Ferry High School’s goal to form a welcoming and affirming environment by creating spaces for all students. Whether you like fundraising, fishing, playing games, or cooking, there are plenty of new and returning cubs to choose from!
