Published by Alexa Strabuk ('13) and Sophie Reingold ('14) on December 15, 2011 With the start of a new year comes opportunities and chances to try something new. SAAS has a wide range of clubs and extracurricular activities to satisfy all interests. This year a number of new clubs have emerged to a great reception from the student body. We picked three new clubs and interviewed their founders to see what the clubs are about and what they will do for the SAAS community.
Carly Montague '14 and Emily Hilton '14 have always loved to write fiction. They noticed that there were few creative writing opportunities for students, so they started the Creative Writing Club. They wanted to share their passion for writing with other students, as well as a comfortable place to share ideas and improve writing skills. The club is meant to unify those who use creative writing as a creative or expressive outlet. If the club gains popularity, they hope to enter into some writing competitions, as well as invite guest speakers on campus. They also hope to get the club’s work published. Writing is something that is important in the SAAS community and is also one of the most important ways of communicating and expressing ideas and oneself. Carly and Emily say that if you don’t think you’re good, you should still come and find out that people do want to listen. They want to hear your ideas and share theirs with you. You can also come if you just love to write, want to improve writing skills, or can appreciate some tasty homemade cookies. The Creative Writing Club meets on Fridays in S2.
What better way to spend your Wednesday lunch than eating delicious food with great company? Culinary Society founder Jeremy Alben '13 is easily the most qualified when it comes to cooking. He has worked at restaurants such as Marjorie on Capitol Hill, Fords Filling Station in Los Angeles, and Hitchcock on Bainbridge Island. Currently, he is working at La Bête downtown. Jeremy decided to continue his pursuit and passion for cooking by starting the Culinary Society at Seattle Academy. The club has weekly themes. For example, the Wednesday before Halloween was “Pumpkin Week,” in which all members brought a food item that was pumpkin flavored. The club has met for one CSSA dinner, where members got together and cooked a multiple course meal. For the future, the CSSA hopes to host a benefit dinner or work with a charity. If the club gains more people, Jeremy hopes to create a network of people in which to discuss cooking, share ideas, and do what they love. If you love to cook, or have any interest in cooking and food, CSSA is the perfect place for you. November was “Middle East November” and December is “French December.” Come share your palette and cooking abilities with Jeremy and the CSSA crew on Wednesdays at lunch in the Green Room.
A former SAAS club, the Gay Straight Alliance, has been revived this year. The club’s slogan is, “A school as diverse as SAAS [should] have a safe and supportive environment to talk about issues relating to gender expression, identity, and sexual orientation and how they affect everyone in our community.” The GSA was introduced as a club to support the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Questioning (LGBTQ) youth and for discussion and information on other related topics. The Gay Straight Alliance was started by SAAS students to raise and spread awareness among fellow students. The club hopes to get guest speakers, perhaps have a GSA dance, join events with GSA clubs from other schools, and raise money for local gay rights groups. The Gay Straight Alliance invites students to join their cause in spreading awareness and to “get your swag on with SWAGON! (Students Who Are Gay…Or Not)”. The GSA meets on Fridays in VB2.
With all the new clubs, this year is off to an exciting start! Clubs are a great way to get involved in the SAAS community and be a part of something you are passionate about. Be sure to check out all the other new clubs including the Anime Club, the Ping-Pong Club, and the Music Production Club. Life offers all sorts of opportunities to explore, and all the SAAS clubs allow you to take advantage of those opportunities. Join! Who knows what you might get out of it.