Students found two new clubs: Climbing Club and Junior Alternative Musicians (JAM)
By Sophie Yang, ’19
With dozens of clubs from Debate Club to Cookie Bookie Club, UA is a constantly growing hub of student involvement.
Climbing Club is one of several new clubs at UAHS. Senior Zoe Pappas was inspired to create the club after taking up recreational rock climbing last year, and she hopes students will discover the sport’s excitement.
“You’re climbing like 20 feet in the air,” Pappas said. “As much as it’s physical strength, it’s a lot of mental strength too, and mental endurance.”
Climbing Club’s first meeting will be held on Sept. 14. The club will continue to meet Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m. at Vertical Adventures, an indoor rock climbing gym near Worthington. Students can drive themselves to the club or submit a permission slip to get a ride.
Students will need to purchase passes or memberships at Vertical Adventures, but anyone who is interested is encouraged to attend. Although an uncertainty, Pappas would also like to bring the club to Scioto Audubon MetroPark, which has an outdoor climbing wall.
Pappas hopes that Climbing Club will connect the community and introduce more people to climbing.
“If it was your first time climbing or if you’ve been climbing forever, everyone’s very nice,” she said. “I wanted another opportunity for students to come and be active and meet new people.”
The goal of Climbing Club is similar to that of another new club this year: Junior Alternative Musicians, or JAM. Sophomores Ruth Buergenthal and Devynn Froehlich founded JAM to help students connect through music.
“I do open mic nights outside of school, so that’s normally where I meet people who have the same interests as me,” Buergenthal said. “I feel like [JAM] would be able to help other people meet each other.”
At the club, students will ‘jam out,’ improvising or experimenting with songs. One person may begin with a beat, and others will gradually join in. Members’ musical interests will direct the way the JAM works, and students who play any instruments are encouraged to attend.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s guitar — or it could be violin or trumpet or drums,” Froehlich said. “Whatever instrument you play or you like to jam out on, you can do that.”
The first JAM meeting will be held on Sept. 12 in room 170. The club will continue throughout the year after school on Mondays and may eventually visit concerts or attend open mic nights together.