The small gym filled up rapidly after the lunch bell rang. Inside, several clubs had set up stands, and student officers were hard at work. Amador’s annual club fair had just begun. Attracting abundant students, the event took place twice during lunch, on Thursday, December 2 and December 9.

“Everything happened so fast… The music, people, and everything going on around me made it really exciting,” said Kimberly Khow (‘24), secretary of the AV Biotechnology club.

Typically, club fairs and related events like freshmen orientation and Pigskin help clubs recruit new members. Most booths sell something to fundraise, but just by setting up a table, all clubs gain recognition in some way.

“Even if we don’t get new members, just coming, looking around, and buying something is helpful. We get to interact with people and spend time with friends,” said Ziyan Liu (‘24), president of the Ukulele club. “Running a stand can be pretty busy, but it’s fun. We’re really lucky and happy to be here.”

The event itself was fast-paced and engaging, thanks to the clubs’ officers, who had taken the time to set up their booths in advance. Leadership made sure that everything proceeded smoothly, but every club was responsible for putting together what they needed.

“You have to make the things you need for setting up the booth beforehand and go early to prepare. Getting a table is also first come first serve. Since we arrived first, we got to choose our table and set up early,” said Khow. “Watching the other clubs set up was also fun–everyone had really creative props of their own.”

Not only do participating clubs enjoy the process, but the club fair is also a chance for them to extend their reach within the student body. Unlike during last year’s distance learning, clubs now have more opportunities to expand and work towards their goals.

“Our club is basically fundraising to help fund our other events which will help raise awareness around mental illness and reduce stigma. We’re a really community-based club, and we’re trying to accept everyone and help people better understand mental illnesses. We want to help people understand each other better,” said Deanna Wood (‘22), the NCHS Club treasurer.

Whenever there is a fundraising event, the clubs always make sure to spread the word beforehand. Information spreads quickly throughout the school, so they take advantage of this network and advertise the products they plan to sell to attract students.

“I came because my friends told me to go buy the UAV rulers, and I did. I guess I planned to just come in, buy a ruler, and leave to go eat my lunch, but there were some pretty interesting stands, so I hung around for a bit to check them out,” said Fengyi Ruan (‘24).

All clubs have something they wish to achieve, so they often multitask and use their fundraising method as a way to advertise or send a message as well. The creative and inspiring atmosphere only grabs the attention of even more people.

“We’re selling friendship bracelets to fundraise. The purple and gold color scheme is obviously for Amador–we want to show school spirit. It also reflects our club’s main goal and is kind of like saying ‘everyone is a friend of the NCHS club!’” said Wood.

The club fair brings together all sorts of individuals–students can enjoy themselves while clubs get to promote themselves and fundraise. The welcoming atmosphere encourages everyone at Amador to take part and make new connections.

“I was just kind of curious to see what [the clubs] would be like if I were to join,” said Katherine Foster (‘24), “but the fair seems like a fun environment because everybody is going around and expressing their interests. The liveliness just naturally makes you excited.”