School is more than classes, and Bromfield students are finding ways to share their outside interests with fellow students, whether those interests are the gyrations of the stock market or the wizardry of Harry Potter. Earlier this week, the School Committee unanimously approved students’ applications for four new school clubs.
Students Sophie Thompson and Jacqueline Walker presented an application for the Bromfield Reading and Writing Club, which is both a book discussion club and a writing group with workshops and feedback for members’ poetry and fiction. The two organizers told the School Committee that club members can submit their writing to national and regional contests such as the Scholastic Art and Writing contest, the Bennington writing contest, or the Write the World contest. The group is open to students in grades 9 through 12 and plans to meet every other week in the mornings.
The Harry Potter Club, also open to ninth- through 12th-graders, has a simple but important goal, as stated by its student organizers: “Have fun.” Siena Ruark, Lana Ostaszewski, and Cami Muller-Juez told the committee they see their weekly Friday after-school meeting as “a stress reliever” where members can share Harry Potter trivia, analyze Potter films, play Quidditch, and work on crafts—as well as having snacks and hanging out together.
Sophia Mader and Echo Muñoz described their Dungeons and Dragons Club, which would meet Friday mornings, as a way “to build a community among fellow players” from grades 6 through 12. The point of the role-playing game, they said, is creativity and problem solving. School Committee member Suzie Allen asked if other schools in the area have Dungeons and Dragons clubs. The students said yes and explained that several schools sometimes get together at events called “epics.”
The three students applying to form an Investment Club—Luke MacLean, Christopher Demetros, and Nick Russo—were all at a basketball game when the School Committee met, so Bromfield Principal Scott Hoffman presented their application. He said a previous investment club at Bromfield had created some great competitions. The students’ application mentioned wanting “to become smarter about how we spend our money” and “learn about the risks that come with investments.” The group expects to meet weekly and will be open to all ninth- through 12th-graders.
