On September 26, Lick-Wilmerding High School students flooded the courtyard for the annual student-led club fair.
photo by Maya Landucci
At the club fair, student leaders pull out all the stops with bright, informative posters and fun snacks. Clubs run by the student body are the heart of the school, as they become spaces to form new relationships with the community.
This year’s roster, which includes 127 student-led organizations, is comprised of affinity groups, public purpose-based programs and clubs just for fun, such as the Pickle Club. These student-directed spaces bring to life LWHS’s newly introduced core value, belonging. For incoming frosh, especially, they ease the transition into the LWHS environment by providing low-risk, high-reward spaces to enter.
“Students can feel more comfortable being part of a club that is run by student leaders,” Aanya Chandarana ’28, a co-leader of Cake Decorating Club, said.
Many student clubs strive to give back by volunteering or donating to a cause. These clubs—including Cakes 4 Kids, Adaptive Tech Club and Special Olympics—also provide sophomores with many opportunities to fulfill their 40-hour-long Public Purpose Program requirement.
“Student club leaders are engaging in our mission because they’re creating and launching something for the care of people,” Christine Godinez-Jackson, the Director of The Center for Civic Engagement, said.
photo by Angie Woo ’27
Through organizing events, fundraisers and trips, students gain valuable life experience, while also practicing fundamental skills like responsibility and public speaking.
“One learns to be a leader through practice,” Godinez-Jackson said.
The LWHS Make-A-Wish Club is an extension of the global nonprofit that serves youth battling cancer. Dylan Lachance ’27, club co-leader and chair of the Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area youth board, aspires to share his knowledge and passion for the organization’s mission with the LWHS community. “We always remember what we’re sort of working towards,” Lachance said.
The Make-A-Wish Club hosts a handful of informative meetings and fundraisers throughout the year, with all the profits benefiting Make-A-Wish. This year, they plan to organize the second annual ‘Wish Week’ that lands on International ‘Wish Day,’ where community members can support the organization and write cards to ‘Wish Kids.’
photo by Angie Woo ’27
This year, there are 21 affinity-based clubs, which allow students to explore their identity. The list includes Asian American Pacific Islander Students in Alliance (ASIA), Black Student Union (BSU), Latinx Unidos (LU), Jewish Student Union (JSU) and Multiracial Alliance Club (MAC).
“MAC was the first instance where I really felt like I belonged in a group, being a mixed person,” Mika Omachi ’26 said. Omachi is the president of MAC, which is currently the biggest race-based affinity group on campus. On October 3, the MAC team hosted a community carnival in anticipation of their upcoming meeting on ‘Loving Day’ which celebrates interracial marriage.
This year, they hope to increase community engagement and become a more inclusive club for all.
photo by Mika Jagannathan ’27
Another exciting club that can be found on campus is Model United Nations. “The purpose of our club is to allow students to practice their leadership skills and also their public speaking and diplomacy skills,” Joe Lu ’26, co-president of Model UN, said. Model UN attends competitions throughout California—made possible by their collaboration with The Center. In the future, Lu hopes the club will be able to visit New York City to enhance its understanding of global issues and negotiation.
Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M) is a club that advocates for mental health awareness on campus, organizing ‘Wellness Week’ and other events that reduce stigma around mental health. “I want to create a place where people are seen and cared for, especially in a school that’s very academically based,” co-leader of BC2M, Amaya Lily Tavu ’26, said.
Student-led clubs are spaces where the LWHS community finds joy in exploring identity and diving into interests.
