Club Rush, an annual event, took place on Sept. 17 at the Blue Dungeon and hosted more than 70 clubs and honor societies for the student body to join. New clubs had the opportunity to attract prospective members to be a part of projects, organizations, services, and their passions.

The event was not only a chance to network and meet new people and potential members, but it was also a fun experience where people could share their experiences and passions, inspiring others to get involved in projects.

“I liked the environment of club rush and how everyone was joining the clubs that they liked,” junior Khloë Timmer said.

Tri-fold boards filled the gym along with the leaders of each organization, who passionately explained what it entailed to be a part of a club and how it can be not only beneficial to the club members but also to the community. Clubs allow students to be involved in service and are enablers for students to collaborate with organizations they are particularly interested in. They can pursue passions and learn new things by participating in these extracurricular activities.

“Club rush was an amazing experience; we truly got to communicate with our peers and advertise our club and its importance to the school and to its community. I’m looking forward to the rest of the school year to see how our community truly comes together,” junior Victoria Tarrazzi said.

She, along with another peer, founded PoliticalNXT, an on-campus forum for political discussion.

Many clubs are affiliated with national and international organizations, such as Key Club, Red Cross Club, BLu Crew, which even broadens the impact that can be made. Local and school organizations are just as effective in causing an impact because the student body can contribute to help with causes that impact the local community, through drives, volunteering, and advocacy.

Dish Out Kindness, a service-based organization on campus, is dedicated to combating food insecurity by mobilizing the school community and partnering with local organizations. They do this by organizing annual food drives, sandwich-making events, and community partnerships in which the club cultivates leadership, empathy, and meaningful impact among students while helping alleviate hunger in Miami and beyond.

“Club rush was definitely a success for our club. We were able to answer a lot of questions when it came to the club and how we strive to positively impact the homeless shelter community. We spoke with some students who are very excited to help with our cause which is amazing to see,” junior Sydney Wider said.

Club rush is an important event for many of the clubs and organizations because it enabled them to get many prospective members to get involved. Now, clubs can kick off their plans for the year and start making an impact in the community with the help of students. Many clubs like Dish Out Kindness have drives and opportunities already set up for the school year in which students can participate in.

“We will continue our Thanksgiving drive where we get the entire school involved with making packages that are filled with a full Thanksgiving meal for families in homeless shelters during the holidays. In the spring, we will host our sandwich event where the entire school gets to create sun-butter and jelly sandwiches. It’s a great opportunity for the students to bond with one another and it’s a very fun event,” Wider said.