Quakertown Community High School held its first Panther Clubs and Sports Fair on October 1st, giving students nearly 50 options to choose from.
All students had the opportunity to walk around the gymnasium track, where tables were set up with information about each of the school’s clubs and sports. Student representatives and teachers were at the tables to engage with interested students.
“Our goals are to generate excitement for all of our amazing clubs and sports, get all students involved in at least one sport or club of their choice, foster positive relationships, enhance mental health and wellness, and create a strong sense of community and belonging,” said Kim Finnerty, a high school assistant principal.
She believed the event, the first of its kind at QCHS, was necessary because of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on young people. “I don’t believe it’s something adults can relate to,” she said. “Our freshmen and sophomores have not had a normal year. Giving them this exposure to our amazing clubs and sports teams, I’m hoping, will help them find one that makes their high school experience fun and worthwhile. We want to help them find a place that makes them happy.”
Rowan Miles, a junior with the Gay-Straight Alliance, said “It’s really great to see all of the diversity in the clubs there are to choose from. I was just talking to someone who said he finally found a place he could feel comfortable. That’s a really good thing. I believe it shows we’re coming together to make our school and our town a better place.”
Dr. Michael Zackon, the district’s Supervisor of Secondary Programs, visited the high school for the event and was impressed with the “positive culture and climate it fosters.”
“The excitement generated was incredible,” he said. “You could clearly see that there were many students signed up for a new sport or club. Credit and kudos to our high school admin team and teachers for their commitment to creating and sharing all the extracurricular and co-curricular activities available to the student body.”