New clubs focus on teaching different skills to students

Seniors Max Vo, Apoorv Kwatra and Kailas Shekar decked out in tank tops and gym shorts and walked into the Ray Goni fitness center in the beginning of the school year, ready for their daily workout routine of deadlifts, squats and cleans.

Underclassmen watched the three experienced lifters in awe, awed by their strength. The three, noticing the confusion of the freshmen, spoke later and decided to do something to teach the newcomers.

Earlier this year, the three formed the Barbell club, a lifting club designed to teach inexperienced students how to lift weights and to encourage more people to take up weightlifting.

Vo, Kwatra, and Shekar initially began lifting as freshmen to improve in their respective sports. Vo specializes in taekwon do, Kwatra is on the basketball team, and Shekar is a tennis player.

“Since we were in the weight room all the time, we wanted to use all of the experience that we gained from lifting to create a community where people aren’t scared to go to the weight room,” said Vo, the president of the club.

Vo remembers how as a freshman, he took advantage of the school’s weightlifting facilities. Since he had already learned proper workouts from taekwondo, he mostly needed a nearby facility in which to train.

In addition to creating an environment for students to work out in, the club aims to have bi-weekly lunch meetings where they will hold fitness, nutrition and question and answer sessions.

The club’s main goals this year are to encourage people to set goals for themselves and provide workout plans to achieve them. Science teacher and current workout trainer Kristofer Orre will advise the club and help supervise workout sessions, as well as plan workouts with the club officers.

“Even if people don’t need help, the club is a great way to meet new people to train with,” Vo said.

Tri-M Music Club

Another club that was created to help the community is the Tri-M Music Club, which was reinstated by members from the school’s orchestra program after 10 years of inactivity. The club is led by senior co-presidents Ellicia Chiu and Alisha Luo and junior vice president Jaime An.

“Our goal is to have a long-lasting club that brings our community together with music to conduct different service projects,” Chiu said.

The club plans to host a benefit orchestra concert on May 27 and donate the funds to nonprofit organizations of the club’s choice.

The club also plans to teach students in special education departments, who will perform at the spring concert.

Throughout the school year, the club will hold bi-weekly meetings and one to two practices per week. With this club, Chiu hopes to spread awareness about the impact of music.

The officers will assign club members to lead chamber groups, small ensembles that consist of three-five students. The members will be responsible for teaching and conducting various pieces.

“We're hoping that our passion for music will speak out to others and raise awareness for the causes we're raising money for,” Chiu said.