Clubs are back in full force after nearly two months of students returning to campus. Returning clubs, as well as new clubs such as Badminton Club, are meeting in-person for the first time since March, 2020. 

History teacher Kevin Carpenter, sponsor for Piano Club, is thrilled to hold meetings inside the school this year.

He is most excited about “actually giving kids a chance to learn how to play piano,” Carpenter said.

Senior Sidney Nguyen, a member of Piano Club, looks forward to bringing back past traditions that were unavailable last year because of the online setting.

“Having hallway performances during Christmas time,” Nguyen said. “Kids would walk into the school and we would be playing Christmas carols.”

Other clubs have also been able to revive traditions lost to the pandemic. Junior Cade Glass, president of Latin Club, has enjoyed the ability to have in-person meetings and return to the staple activities of Latin Club.

“We got started with our traditions again at the very first meeting, doing our annual scavenger hunt that we weren’t able to do last year,” Glass said. 

With the return of school organizations, many clubs are seeing a difference in the student participation. Latin teacher Erin Michaud, the sponsor of the Latin Club, anticipates a difference in attendance at the meetings for this coming year.

“Hopefully it is higher than it was last year… but I don’t know if my numbers will be as high as they have been in the past,” Michaud said. “So far we have had over forty people at the meeting, and that was more than I typically got last year virtually, so that is good.”

Glass has also noticed an increase in turnout to meetings, as compared to the previous year, and that communication about future meetings has overall improved.

“I’m really excited about this year as we can finally be back as our big group,” Glass said.

In addition to the clubs coming back this year, there are also some organizations that are beginning at Clover Hill. One of the most popular new clubs this year has been Badminton Club, which all students are welcome to join with or without previous badminton experience. History teacher Kyle Miller is the sponsor for this new club, and he is excited to witness its progress. 

He is most excited for the students “getting to play, learn the rules [of badminton] and see [the club] build on itself in the future,” Miller said.

Sophomore Meera Del Favero, a member of the Badminton Club, is thrilled about its creation because of the environment it presents.

“It is a really good opportunity for people who might not enjoy sports to try something new,” Del Favero said. “A lot of the time, people maybe don’t feel like joining something so exclusive like a team.”

While people have been ecstatic about the return and creation of clubs this school year, there are some concerns for the clubs. Nguyen highlights the issues that transportation and the lingering pandemic have generated for Piano Club.

“All of the bus issues have taken quite a few members from us,” Nguyen said. “Also they are being strict on headphone use, and that with COVID people can’t easily use the headphones” because of issues with contact tracing and sanitation.

Even with these concerns, clubs are returning and getting back into their stride in school. The revival of these clubs and the addition of new ones have helped restore Clover Hill’s strong community and spirit.