Midwood Reaches Record High 81 Clubs

My Brother’s Keeper and My Sister’s Keeper recruit new members during October 13’s club fair. *Photo: Elise Badmaev*

By OLEG ZAIKA and CAROLINE PYCHYNSKI

with contributions from Abrorbek Karimjonov and Besman Hoti

Caroline Pychynski is the secretary of the Women’s Leadership Society.

Whether it’s learning how to grow your own garlic in Gardening Club or learning different stitch patterns in Crochet Club, Midwood has something for everyone. The hive hit a record high 81 clubs this year in which students can explore and share a variety of interests.

“That's really impressive,” said Joanne Zhu ‘24, the school’s comptroller. “It's fascinating to see so many students show off the passions they have and give opportunities to others who have those same passions.”

The Gardening Club teaches members how to grow their own plants and herbs. *Photo: Anna Bukhman*

Among the new clubs established this year were the CNK Drama, Midwood Unsolved, Conspiracy Theory, Hockey, and Women of Central Asia clubs. The club fair on October 13 had to expand into both the C-Gym and the cafeteria.

Mr. Lawrence Kolotkin, the coordinator of student affairs, said that new clubs have to be unique, with at least 20 people willing to join. Each club also needs an advisor, a room, and a bit of paperwork done on time.

Midwood offers clubs for nearly every artistic pursuit. *Photo: Elise Badmaev*

“The rules are fair because they work,” Mr. Kolotkin said. “Clubs are only successful if leaders are motivated and care about the club. A lot of students want to make a club just to get credit, but that causes the club to become weak and unsuccessful.”

“You can also revive a club that no one has taken over,” he added. “I’m looking for kids who have the heart and soul behind it. If leaders are not enthusiastic about the club, it will die out.”

Eliana Velednitskiy '24, one of the presidents of Women in STEM, described the process of starting a club as “stressful but rewarding.” Velednitskiy recommends getting “a trusted partner -- it really relieves the stress and it gives you trust in making the club successful.”

Sophia Gotesman ‘24, the ambassador of Women in STEM, said, “We’re lucky to be able to have guest speakers come in to talk to us about the branches of STEM they’re in and their first-hand experiences as women in a male-dominated field. Interacting with these women who have already found their places makes the idea of pursuing such a career more realistic.”

Another club that was created this year is Midwood Unsolved. Co-President Lien Garcia ‘23 said she started the club with her friend Jaclyn Gendler ‘23 because they’re “just two funky peas in a pod” and wanted to work on something together.

“There weren’t really any conspiracy or true crime clubs and I thought it would pique some interest in the student body,” Garcia said. “I asked Jaclyn if she would be interested in running the club with me because she has tons of past experience, and she agreed. Then we just ran with the idea.”

If you’re planning on creating a club, “be ready to put in the effort, because if you haven’t put in the effort to create a good club, people aren’t going to enjoy what you have to offer,” Garcia said.

With the new record, there’s never been a better time to take on an interest. “There are a lot more options and variety compared to before,” Garcia said. “Anything that I could join that could help with my college application, I will, and a lot of other people now have the opportunity to do that, too.”

One group that is often left out is Midwood’s freshmen, who are on a 3-10 schedule and are therefore unable to attend most clubs due to a lack of 11th period meeting times.

“I understand,” Mr. Kolotkin said sympathetically. “Most clubs are run by seniors and juniors who aren't interested in 11th period meeting times. It’s also hard to find teachers and advisors for 11th period.”

The Women's Leadership Society Club is one of the few that does have an 11th period. Avielle Krendel Smyslov ‘24, one of the presidents, said, “I have noticed that period 11 does get more people since freshmen and sophomores are involved. It has definitely positively impacted the club.”

A study in 2019 examining the relationship between club participation and academic success found that the more a student participates in extracurricular activities, the higher their academic success will be. This study notes that students who are involved in both clubs and sports were about 12 times more likely to have a GPA of 3.0 or above than students who were not involved in anything.

“Clubs offer great opportunities,” said Mr. Kolotkin. “Kids with similar interests could meet and build friendships. There are more choices, so there are more opportunities to find things you like.”

He said that Midwood used to have 45 clubs on average and that the record high of 81 is “just astonishing.”

Junior Executive Secretary Elise Badmaev expressed enthusiasm about the accomplishment. “I think it’s absolutely phenomenal how Midwood students continue to explore their personal interests and take initiative to be in leadership roles,” she said.

If you haven’t yet joined a club but want to, look for the club list QR code near Room 417 and other spots around the school. It will send you to a directory of all the school’s clubs, along with their meeting times and locations.