By Jake Cohen `14, Staff Writer

On page 52 of the Newark Academy Student Handbook, one of the most important things for a new student or an incoming freshman can be found. No, it is not a list of rules or courses, nor is it a map of the Academy’s hallways. It is a list of every club and activity offered at the school. Not including sports, clubs and activities are the easiest avenue by which to get involved outside of the classroom  The club fair is the gateway: it gives students an ideal opportunity to interact with and view clubs while allowing them to involve themselves in a non-committal, “shop-period” basis. There is no denying that the club fair is a mainstay of the first weeks of school, but there are issues in awareness and location that prevent the club fair from realizing its full potential.

The club fair originated when Ms. Galvin, Dean of Students, came to the school. It was based on university programs like “club night” or some similar events that take place over the course of several hours. In an interview, Ms. Galvin expressed her approval of the “welcoming club ethos” and warm atmosphere of the intimate setting, with the ability to “run by, sign up, and go on.” It is easy to see the impact of the fair, as many clubs have nearly all their members sign up there.

Yet the club fair’s fatal flaw is its lack of promotion and awareness. Parents are told about it, and it is mentioned in the slew of information thrown at freshmen during the first days of school, but for an event of such importance, it sometimes seems to be overpowered by the upheaval of returning to school. There are some simple and concrete steps that could help. First, sending an email to all students about the club fair — describing it briefly, noting its importance, and directing students to a list of clubs — would be an easy way to bring it to students’ attentions. Second, Ms. Galvin or Upper School Principal Dr. DiBianca could discuss it in some greater depth beforehand at a venue like morning meeting. Lastly, in addition to listing the clubs in student handbook, the administration could post lists of clubs around the school or direct students to some online link. In this way, students could come to the club fair with some idea of what clubs they might want to check out. Knowing that the Mi Casa Club “brings information and awareness to the school community about the Hispanic heritage and legacy in our country” is a lot more information than a sign that says “Mi Casa Club.” These brief steps, if undertaken before the event, would help cement the club fair in students’ minds and give it greater legitimacy.

The other major barrier to the club fair’s success is its location. Ms. Galvin has “thought a lot about moving it to the Great Hall or Wrightson Gym,” but she believes that its central location makes it very easy to see and participate in the event. Unfortunately, this central location is decidedly inconvenient, as the relatively small hallways and foyer at the front of the school get crowded, stuffy, and rambunctious during the club fair. Both the students and clubs suffer in this environment. Students can be pushed away from or even miss a club table because of the commotion going on in the area. If the club fair were moved into the Wrightson Gym, for instance, it would still be in a central location but would provide everyone much more breathing room.

A great deal of planning goes into the club fair, and Ms. Galvin invests substantial time and energy to ensure its success. She is very open to ideas, and hopefully as the Academy grows and develops, so too will the ever important club fair.