By Natalie Tran
Get excited. Club Rush is back and better than ever—this time, with a whole new set of clubs coming to campus. From solving personalized crime cases to competing in challenging skateboarding competitions, this year’s clubs are definitely unmatched. For students trying to find a unique club to join, here is an overview of each new club’s purpose, goals and outlook.
Barons in Business
Are you a competitive student looking to hone their business skills? Do the words “innovation” and “creativity” stand out to you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Barons in Business (BiB) is the place for you.
“BiB is a curricular club tied with a business course here at Fountain Valley called Virtual Enterprise. We aim to educate students more about [the field] and the entrepreneurship world and give them hands-on experience to do so,” BiB co-president junior Alexandria Tran said. “[It’s] a club where students can find themselves supporting small business and [learning] how to operate in different business compartments.”
Tran has big goals and plans for the club this year, including a special project, coined “Perfect Pitch.” Along with the project, Tran hopes to create the best experience for members this year by helping them find their own passions in the business field.
“BiB has a single event called the ‘Perfect Pitch’ project, which we prepare members to compete in throughout the year. It will take place once a semester, twice a school year, and our main focus with this project is to build the entrepreneurial mindset of students and walk them through the process of creating their very own business,” Tran said. “[With “Perfect Pitch”], we plan to not only shape hardworking individuals, but to also embrace the concept of teamwork more importantly.”
Co-president junior Khanh Ha Phan hopes students know that anyone is welcome to join their club.
“BiB is inclusive and open to all students, whether they are heading towards a business path or not,” Phan said. “[And] we want students to know that business isn’t only limited to management and numbers, it is also about branding and creativity. We hope that you will all find your passions within this club and become true leaders of society. That said, we are so excited to see you all at Club Rush!”
You can visit the Barons in Business table at Club Rush table 33. They can also be found on Instagram @fvhsbib.
Children’s Hospital of Orange County
With a majority of the clubs on campus supporting different charities, it can be quite difficult to choose one that’s best for you. However, if you’re interested in supporting charity that hits close to home, the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) club may be your calling.
The Children’s Hospital of Orange County, hence the name, is located right here in the City of Orange, working to protect the health and well being of children. As a non-profit hospital, CHOC treats over 150,000 children annually, regardless of their ability to pay. Therefore, donations to the CHOC foundation are more important than ever, which is where Fountain Valley High School’s (FVHS) CHOC Club comes in to help.
“CHOC is directly affiliated with the hospital. Our purpose is to raise awareness and funds for patients and families. We want to assist pediatric patients in need while at the same time, promoting a culture of philanthropy on campus,” junior co-president Iris Chau said. “We hope to support CHOC’s mission in giving all children a chance of a happy, healthy childhood through service and fundraising.”
To do so, CHOC plans to host a variety of events bringing awareness to the cause while also engaging members of the community to raise funds for the CHOC foundation.
“This year, our club hopes to achieve our official CHOC fundraising goal, which is to raise at least $300,” Chau said. “To do this, we’ll be holding many different and unique fundraisers and a significant amount of social events to create a large and loving community behind our club.”
Although FVHS CHOC may appear as a “medical club” for students interested in the medical field, Chau urges anyone and everyone to join FVHS CHOC, no matter what career they are interested in for the future. CHOC differs from the other medical clubs on campus, such as Medical Society, as it focuses solely on fundraising and service for the CHOC foundation.
“All students are welcome to join our club. You don’t have to particularly be interested in the medical field to join,” Chau said. “Those with an interest in making a difference in peoples’ lives should definitely join FVHS CHOC.”
You can visit the CHOC club table at Club Rush booth 48. They can also be found on Instagram @fvhschoc.
Classics Club
Did Homer’s “The Odyssey” that you read in your freshman English class particularly stand out to you? Did you undergo that seemingly universal obsession with the Percy Jackson series (both the novels and movies) as a tween? Are you interested in learning about an ancient culture? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should definitely consider joining Classics Club.
“[Classics Club] focuses on Greco-Roman culture and how it affects our society today,” senior president Elea Vander Burgh said. “We want to understand past cultures that have faded and allow them to come back to life.”
At Classic Club’s meetings and events, you can generally find yourself doing many unique activities that you wouldn’t usually experience in your daily life.
“We hope to have people in the [classics] field come and talk to us, learn some Latin and even watch movies,” Vander Burgh said. “Our club has a lot of variety, so if you want to join, I recommend it!”
You can visit the Classics Club table at Club Rush table 49. They can also be found on Instagram @fvhsclassicsclub.
Crime Club
Like many other teenagers, you probably binge watched “Criminal Minds” on Netflix while quarantining last year. If you actually found yourself interested in the crime field (and not only Spencer Reid), Crime Club is the right place for you.
“We have always been interested in crime cases and its deciphering process, so we decided to create a club where members can recount true crime unsolved mysteries cases,” junior president Sophia Ton said. “Donations are also advocated for human trafficking and missing persons.”
There is no club like Crime Club on campus. Ton has a lot in store for her club this year, including a number of special events spawning FVHS’ very own mini detectives.
“We are planning to have various activities…most of all, we are most excited about an event occurring about once a month where board members will select a perpetrator (unsub) within a random group of five. This culprit will leave clues, allowing the members to solve the mystery with personalized case files,” Ton said. “Members can work in detectives’ shoes by solving personalized mysteries and even volunteering at the local police station.”
Despite the challenging tasks Crime Club promotes, Ton’s main goal is to make it the best experience for members. Ton encourages anyone who is into the crime scene to join her club.
“[We] want our members to have as much fun as possible and open [their] eyes to a career in criminal justice and legal fields,” Ton said. “All students are welcome…and don’t be intimidated by the crime aspect. We look forward to solving mysteries with you!”
You can visit the Crime Club table at Club Rush table 67. They can also be found on Instagram @fvhscrimeclub.
Oxfam
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Oxfam, it is a global organization working against injustices in all aspects by taking on issues such as inequality, climate change, poverty, gender inequality and inequities in the food chain. If these are issues that you feel passionate about, join Oxfam!
“As a club, we aim to bring awareness and action towards global injustices through service and volunteer opportunities as well as by getting new eyes on humanitarian issues around the world,” junior co-president David Hoang said. “We look forward to further exploring these issues with members and providing a resource on how to help.”
At meetings and events, members can expect to participate in different types of advocacy work such as fundraisers for different causes and of course, social events to connect with other members within the club.
“This year, our club plans to host a variety of volunteer and service events revolving around the environment, communities and inequality [as well as] fundraisers to help provide relief for global issues,” Hoang said. “We hope that this club becomes a safe place in which students are able to advocate for what they believe is right.”
You can visit the Oxfam table at Club Rush table 46. They can also be found on Instagram @fvoxfam.
Skate Club
Introducing Skate Club, a fun and fresh addition to FVHS’s clubs this year. With plans to integrate a welcoming and diverse skate community on campus, Skate Club is ready to take on the big challenge.
“Skate club strives to promote and encourage the art of skateboarding everywhere,” junior president Dayton Phan said. “A considerable and main goal of Skate Club is to work in the interests of common values that are typically associated within the skateboarding culture: freedom, individualism, equality, creativity and much more.”
Phan is immensely passionate about the sport and he wishes to share that passion with others through his club. To him, skateboarding is a sport that knows no boundaries, allowing a great feeling of liberation—something that he hopes others could experience.
“Skateboarding is not like any other sport due to many factors. Nearly every conventional sport comes with a handbook full of rules, rules and more rules. Skateboarding does not have that,” Phan said. “The moment you step on that board, you are free to do whatever you want [and] I do hope that this club can show you how skateboarding can bring you the same amazing feeling of freedom that I know and love dearly.”
To those who are wary of joining Skate Club because they are beginners, don’t fret. Skate Club welcomes them with open arms.
“Students who want to better themselves as both skateboarders and humans should join. We aim towards making the community a better place, and that starts with helping others become better humans,” Phan said. “Students who want to progress further in skateboarding are also recommended to join. It is no secret that skateboarding with other skateboarders can help boost one’s motivation to skate and greatly improve their skills.”
You can visit the Skate Club table at Club Rush table 64. They can also be found on Instagram @fvhsskateclub.
UC LAST
Onto the next new club on our list, the Universal Catholic Leadership and Service Team (UCLAST), a Catholic-based club in affiliation with the Fountain Valley Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
“As a Catholic-based club, UCLAST has been created with the mission to connect and support all students, to uncover identity, to discern vocation, to develop leadership, but most of all, to encounter Jesus and participate in His own life and mission,” junior co-president Evelynn Pham said. “With the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, we will unite both groups through this club.”
UCLAST plans to have a variety of events in the upcoming year. From hiking at Crystal Cove to simple group prayers, you can expect to have lots of fun and create long-lasting friendships in the club through team bonding.
“For [this school year], we plan on incorporating events where students can volunteer while being with each other, as well as putting aside time to just be with God in prayer,” Pham said. “UCLAST also spends our weekends exploring new places whether it’s through hiking, kayaking and many more. But to strengthen your relationship with the Lord, there’s no doubt that we will spend time in adoration, Gospel reflections, or simply even prayer.”
Although it is a Catholic-based club, Pham urges anyone interested in becoming part of a loving community to join. She coins the club as a “home” to all students at FVHS.
“Oftentimes we realize that students in high school and especially those in Fountain Valley don’t really get a chance to just breathe. Through our weekly meetings, UCLAST is a place you can look to like a home,” Pham said. “And although UCLAST is a space for a large majority of Catholic students, it is also a place open to all students, no matter their religion or ideals. We strongly encourage anyone who is even slightly interested to spend their time with us at one of our meetings.”
You can visit the UCLAST table at Club Rush table 66. They can also be found on Instagram @fvhsuclast.
WeBooks
Do you spend hours reading and, at the same time, wishing you could share that love with others? Do you like spending time with children? If you answered yes to both of these, you match the perfect description of a WeBooks member.
“The purpose of WeBooks is to promote literature on [our] school campus, aid young children with their literary skills and inspire children to be more involved in literacy,” senior president Winette Nguyen said. “With my club, I hope to bring individuals in our community closer with the use of books.”
WeBooks plans to host a myriad of projects throughout the year, mainly consisting of service events directly helping children cultivate their love for reading.
“We plan to host a yearlong book drive and donate them to schools, libraries and shelters in need of them. These books will be provided to individuals who lack the materials needed for a great education,” Nguyen said. “We will also host weekly events over Zoom where we buddy read to elementary school children. We hope to bring our events in person, but right now, we are utilizing what we have to serve our purpose.”
Nguyen welcomes anyone and everyone interested to join, especially if you love books and children.
“Anyone could join,” Nguyen said. “No matter who you are, you carry a story that we would love to include in our club.”
You can visit the WeBooks table at Club Rush table 3. They can also be found on Instagram @fvhswebooks.
