The CVMS club fair was held on Wednesday, September 9 in the school gymnasium. Many parents came with their children to look at all the amazing displays that club sponsors and members had brought, and to sign up for the clubs that appealed to them most. The club fair was a great chance for clubs to gain new members and start off the year fresh. “I think that the club fair is a great way for people to get involved and get information about all the activities happening around school,” said 7th grader Anuja Uppuluri.

What is the purpose of these clubs? Many clubs are made for students to have fun, and some even serve the school. One of the clubs that serves the school is student council. “Student council is a student government where we have one sponsor guiding us,” said 8th grader Hart Block, member of the CVMS student council, “Our goal is to try to make Canyon Vista Middle School a better place.”

Why did mustangs choose to join the clubs that they did? “I like art,” said 6th grader Sophia Swanson, when asked why she wanted to join Art Club. She was among the large throng of students flocking the art displays, looking at the different art pieces and picking up flyers. “Art club is a place where kids can be creative and do stuff for the community,” said Art Club sponsor Mrs. Loera. “We enter a lot of contests, and we offer enrichment activities for all students to have a chance to be creative.” Along with many other clubs, the art club is a great way to take part in an elective that you don’t necessarily take as a class.

Is art not really your thing? Are you more of an active person? Then there are also many sports and running-based clubs. “I like running, so I chose Cross Country,” said 6th grader Ayame Castel. Cross Country is a very popular club for mustangs interested in long-distance running. “50+ students walk through the doors high on endorphins”, said Coach McKinley, sponsor of Cross Country. “… Smiles are contagious!” The Cross Country club runs almost every morning in the neighborhoods around Canyon Vista. Another fun PE-based club is the tennis club. “It’s my third year, it’s fun,” said 8th grader Grace Chen. “I love it and it motivates me to be active.”

Along with the active sports clubs, there are also educational and subject-based clubs. Many clubs offer after school activities for students to start exploring areas of math, science, and engineering to a greater depth than the curriculum offered by school subjects. These clubs seem to be very popular. “I want to be an engineer when I grow up, and I want to be in Science Bowl, TAME, MathCounts, NJHS… just for fun,” said 8th grader Rishob Dasgupta.

Clubs are an essential part of CVMS, and many students are part of before or after-school clubs. Clubs are also a way for teachers to get involved with students and get to know them on a deeper level. “It is important for Canyon Vista to offer a variety of clubs and extracurricular activities so that students have the opportunity to explore multiple interests,” said Coach McKinley. “Students may discover new interests and hobbies through these offerings; which will lead to social and mental fulfillment and enrich their lives.”