As Barons milled around the bowl for the annual Club Rush event, they might have spotted some unfamiliar clubs. This year FVHS has added a number of new clubs to its long and colorful roster.
Reach Out
Reach Out is a Santa Ana-based club started by Lindsay Danley (’14), who wanted to keep kids off the streets and away from negative influences through a weekly mentoring program.
Danley first started the club when an old classmate texted her and pitched his idea of creating an organization to help under-privileged kids.
With the help of a few friends, she began formulating ideas and met with KidWorks, an institution with which Reach Out works throughout the year.
Danley said, “We want to change the kids’ lives. It may sound cliché, but that’s the truth of the matter. The kids grow up never knowing what’s outside the limits of their neighborhoods. They only see violence and bad times during their childhoods, but we want to show them what’s really out in the world.”
Members visit children every Friday after school. As mentors and friends, members should be dedicated to attending assigned classes every week and have commitment and passion for helping others.
Thirst Relief Foundation
Jayne Yokoyama (’14) is the president of Thirst Relief Foundation, which raises awareness of unhealthy drinking water and supports non-profit organizations. Through fundraisers, volunteer programs, and donations, the club plans to build wells and filtration systems to those in need.
Yokoyama was inspired when she saw a commercial on YouTube for clean water. As an athlete, she understood the importance of water, especially in hot and dry climates.
She plans to raise $1000 to help build sanitation devices that will filter water, something she hopes will positively impact many people’s lives.
“Thirst Relief Foundation believes that clean water is a right, not an option,” she said.
Magic Club
Andy Nguyen (’13), president of Magic Club, has wanted to teach magic since his freshman year. “I just want people to see it as an art form,” he said. “It’s more than just playing a card. It’s everything from how you perform it to your body language.”
Nguyen has been doing magic for nine years. “I really want people to respect the art of magic. A lot of people make fun of it or flat out reveal my secrets. And I think that is really disrespectful because my team and I along with everyone who does magic spends so much time practicing. To just to have someone come by and ruin it for everybody… I think it’s disgusting to be honest.
Nguyen plans to teach members card tricks and performance theory through a magic workshop. The club will be offered as an elective class. “I want members who won’t reveal all the tricks to people they meet, who are very committed to learning and keeping the secrets of magic.”
Human to Human
Club president Gabby Chambers (’13) said, “The purpose of Human to Human is to help people less fortunate than us. It’s more than just making sandwiches and collecting blankets. It’s being thankful for what we were blessed with and changing lives with simple gestures.”
Chambers was first inspired when her dad befriended a homeless woman who was struggling to get back on her feet. Chambers had about fifteen friends come over and make about 150 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless community in Santa Ana.
“The idea just grew from there and turned into Human to Human,” she said.
Chambers strives to make a difference, “even if it’s the tiniest difference in the world, we are still going to leave the world better than we found it. We want to do our best to make some unlucky people feel very lucky, even if it is just for a few minutes.”
Archery Club
After shooting archery with his friends over the summer, Tristan Nguyen (’14) decided to start the Archery Club.
Nguyen said, “We want people to know about the sport. And maybe for them to try it out if they like. Because a lot of people see it on TV and they’re wondering, ‘Oh, is it an actually sport?’ or ‘Can I do it?’ and the answer is yes.”
Archery Club participates in the California State Competition and several cross-state competitions as well. Nguyen is currently trying to borrow equipment from a local archery shop. “We want to inform people about archery. It’s not medieval; it’s an actual sport,” he said. “We want members to be willing to learn. If they have the will to try it out and that you really want to try it then we’re going to teach you.”
By Sandy Hoang and Julia Nguyen
Edited by Jackie Liu
