On Sep. 20, 2019, students swarmed the quad and were greeted by the vibrant booths of Foothills annual Club Rush. With no shortage of options, students wove through the enticing displays, each one advertising a different club at Foothill. This event, run by the Associated Student Body (ASB) and organized by ASB member Alex Guce ’21, is one where students can learn about the clubs Foothill has to offer, allowing them to discover their place in the array of options.   

ASB member, Madison Duston ‘21 describes Club Rush as an opportunity to “Make all the freshmen feel welcome […] and to give them a chance to join new clubs and get involved in our school.”  

Hayden Hickerson 20’, the president of ASB, acknowledges that the event is very important for students in order for them to discover where they belong. In addition to helping freshmen feel a sense of belonging it can also help returning students discover new hobbies because “interests are always changing.”  

From a club designated to helping our community, to one focused on bringing Broadway to Foothill, Club Rush offers a breadth of options for students to choose from. There are countless opportunities for dragons to not only get involved at our school but also in Ventura itself.  

Heidi Ingram 22’ is in charge of the Interact Club where students will be participating in community service, locally and globally. Their “biggest project right now is going to Mexico to build houses.” These opportunities offer dragons priceless experiences and the ability to change the world around us.  

Throughout the event, underclassmen enjoyed learning more about Foothill and connecting with other students on campus with similar interests. 

Noah Ruano 23’ said that clubs at Foothill already made him feel “accepted” and he felt that the day was going “good.” Hoping to help his youth group he joined Jesus Club, connecting his life outside of school to Foothill. 

Some returning students, like Jane Lambert 22’, enjoy seeing new students find their niche, “it’s nice seeing the freshman getting to choose something they really like to do and feeling accepted for that.” She believes clubs are important at Foothill and they “help people to express themselves.” 

This year, some felt that the atmosphere was more welcoming and put together than in the past. Taylor Wilcox ‘22 was not only pleased by her options but also the organization and participation in the event. “There are a lot more tables that look more put together,” acknowledges Wilcox. 

Wilcox believes that clubs are important at Foothill and “are a way for kids to meet new people,” especially those with similar interests. 

Sailor Steimle ‘22, co-leader of the Drama Club was excited “to introduce people to the fine arts and drama, [showing] them a whole new experience.” 

Steimle continued, “[clubs] let people express themselves in such an important way.”

She highlighted how clubs, especially those focused on creative subjects, can encourage people to be comfortable to express themselves. 

Teacher and advisor for the Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) and Girl-Up Club, Claire Adams, find clubs to be very important for the connection between the student body at Foothill. 

Adams states, “it allows for a diverse range of interests to be expressed, [and] it helps build bonds with the community.”