News

By Sorin ’26

Santa Catalina’s annual club fair, held on September 10, allowed students to explore different club tables, talk to club heads, and sign up for clubs for the 2024-2025 school year. The club fair represented Santa Catalina’s 52 different clubs, including interest-based clubs, student-led performance clubs, service clubs, and peace and justice clubs.

National Honor Society, a service club rooted in leadership and community service, is run by Allie ’25. Having joined the club in her sophomore year, and being elected for club co-head in her junior year, Allie has had experience participating in, organizing, and leading service projects. Allie believes that National Honor Society is important to have at Catalina because it aligns with the school’s values of service and leadership.

Another club represented was Accents, the dance club. Sophie ’25 was elected as club head her sophomore year. One of Sophie’s goals for this year is to enhance the sense of community within the club by celebrating the diverse styles of dance to foster a more cohesive and united group.

One new club to Catalina is Books for Africa, run by co-heads Izzy ’26 and Debra ’26. Books for Africa is more than just a club: it’s an organization Izzy founded at her previous school with the intention of sending books to underfunded schools in Uganda. Books for Africa became recognized as an official nonprofit in May 2024 and has partnered with Half Price Books and the African Library Project to help subsidize the shipping and book acquisition costs. Considering that Catalina students are fortunate to be receiving quality education, it’s important to help those less fortunate, especially when it’s as simple as sending books.

Clubs are essential to the school culture, allowing students to take on leadership roles, meet people and make friends in other grades, and find supportive, interest-based communities.