During the Crimson Hour on Friday, Jan. 31, Student Senate put on Manual’s first ever club fair. Over 35 clubs set up booths, showcasing their initiatives and recruiting new members.
“Our big project for this year was the club fair. We saw the problem that students who wanted to join clubs couldn’t join in time, and we wanted to offer more opportunities to get involved,” Student Senate representative Daniel Miceli (10, VA) said.
Some clubs at the fair included Students Demand Action, Philosophy Club, Psychology and Mental Wellness club, Girl Up, Sunrise Movement, Indian Student Association and more.
Students Demand Action is a student-led club with the goal of spreading awareness and preventing gun violence. They have done community outreach, helping over 40 people register to vote and meeting with local government representatives like Charles Booker.
Students Demand Action is a national organization with chapters in high schools throughout the country. Alexander Jones (12, MST) founded Manual’s chapter last summer along with Joanna Lee (11, J&C) and Viet Pham (11, HSU). The club meets once a month on Mondays after school in Room 325.
“I’m looking forward to doing more and seeing our club growing,” Jones said.
Like Students Demand Action, the Sunrise Movement is a national organization with multiple chapters. The club was founded by Manual students this year, and is open to any student in Louisville. They meet every Sunday at the Bon Air Library.
The Sunrise Movement focuses on climate action, but each chapter, or hub, can decide their own course of action.
“Right now we’re looking at focusing on Tarc accessibility or eradicating pollution in the West End,” said Co-founder Maggie Stone (10, J&C).
Like the Sunrise Movement, Philosophy Club fosters an environment for discussion of issues important to students. Rather than climate action, the club discusses moral dilemmas and situations. Members talk through and debate topics in Socratic circles every Friday in Room 133. Members sit in Socratic circles discussing dilemmas and moral situations. They are open to all different ideas and opinions.
“Not everyone who comes to Philosophy club speaks, and we are absolutely okay with that. It’s just an opportunity and a community for everybody to learn from each other and be together,” Aubrey Anderson (12, MST) said.
Philosophy club is presenting at the club fair in hopes of building their community. Although it has grown since its creation, many officers and members are graduating seniors. This year the club has been able to participate in events like the Cincinnati High School Ethics Bowl and the University of Louisville Philosophy Slam for the first time.
Other clubs like Girl Up and Indian Student Association (ISA) were also looking to expand their presence in the student body.
“We want everyone to be included [in ISA], not just Indian students. It’s a fun way to introduce our culture to people, and everybody’s welcome,” ISA President Dhir Patel (11, MST) said.
ISA is always welcome to new members. They meet on certain Fridays in Room 239, and information about meetings can be found on their instagram.
Similarly, Girl Up is focused on inclusivity in their club population. Both clubs strive to create spaces where all students can learn and make a difference.
“We want to extend the reach of who knows about Girl Up, and even getting guys to join. Just spreading the message,” Girl Up officer Sarah Catlett (10, YPAS) said.
Girl Up is a United Nations initiative with clubs in high schools and colleges across the country. Their goal is to empower girls and women through education and advocacy. At Manual, the club meets every Friday. Recently, they have held period product drives, presentations about female artists and vision board creating meetings.
The club fair fostered an environment for students to explore new interests and get involved. With its positive feedback, Student Senate hopes it is a tradition that will continue for many years.
