Hoggard's Hidden Gems: Clubs You Should Join

The new school year is now in full swing and you might be looking to explore your passions beyond regular school classes. But maybe after the club fair last Wednesday (9/10/25), you’re feeling a little lost with the overwhelming options of clubs to join. There are many underrated, more niche clubs that can be overshadowed by Hoggard’s most recognized ones: Student Council and Beta Club. However, smaller clubs allow students to explore their interests and create a tight-knit community where creativity is fostered. I recently had the chance to ask some club leaders what makes their club unique.

1.) Prom Committee: An Interview with Ms. Collins

First up is the prom committee with Hoggard’s theatre arts teacher, Ms. Collins, as the club leader. This is perfect for students who want to be more involved in Hoggard’s prom planning process.

Give me a little overview of what you do in this club.

“Prom Committee plans the entire Prom, choosing the theme as well as the colors, decorations, and gifts.  They help review the song requests list generated by students. They help to make decorations and gifts.  Some of the underclassmen help to decorate on the day of Prom and work the Prom in the evening.”

Who is eligible to join this club?

“We are pretty chill. Our group is usually small, but I've had a large number of people express interest in joining this year, so we will see how many show up and participate.”

Favorite memory or event from the past with this club?

“Last year, we spent so many hours and days gluing 'PROM 25' on red heart sunglasses as the Prom gift.  We kept laughing because the glue fumes were terrible and it was so tedious, but we enjoyed working on the final product.  The year before that, we made coral pieces for decorations out of expanding spray foam and it was so messy, but it turned out so cute in the end!”

Any event plans for the future to look forward to? Or anything you hope to do this year?

“I always look forward to hearing the ideas that students have for Prom themes. We usually use a Pinterest board to brainstorm ideas for decorations. I love crafting and making things, so it's fun to see what ideas we come up with!”

2.) YCAC: An interview with Emery Smith

If you are someone who is passionate about taking action on environmental issues, this club is for you. I talked to senior Emery Smith, President of the Youth Climate Action Coalition club:

What makes YCAC unique from other clubs? Any highlights of being part of this club?

“We're really trying to make change in our community and our school starting from within, our own willingness to learn about how we can change/what we can do to help save the environment (something we're all a part of) from climate change (something we will all be victim to) is the biggest and most crucial part of the process.”

How would you describe the vibe of YCAC?

“Close-knit. It's laid back, no hours requirements or long meetings, we meet, discuss, reflect, and in that I've found it really creates a sort of safe space for people who really are passionate about climate action.”

Favorite memory or event from the past with YCAC?

 “Composting. Standing by the trash cans during lunch does NOT sound fun but it was definitely not boring, plus it was a great way to teach people a little something.”

Any event plans for the future to look forward to?

“We are (hopefully) starting up "Mending Mondays" this year. Everyone and anyone is welcome to come learn a little bit about sewing in the name of sustainability and making your clothes last longer!”

3.) Photography Club: An Interview with Jun Park

Photography club, one of the new club additions this year, had huge success at the club fair. This club is perfect if you are looking for a new hobby or want to step out of your comfort zone. I asked club president Jun Park to give me some insight on what he hopes this club will become: 

Give me a little overview of what you will do in this club.

“We will be exploring, learning, and growing in different styles of photography while connecting with photographers of all experience levels. I will give various themes or topics to take photos of for experiences, and we will be discussing and commenting on each other's photos.”

What inspired you to start this club?

“I've been practicing photography for two years and I always wanted to share my photos and discuss it with other photographers and learn through them. However, we didn't have any community where I could do all of that, so I just decided to make one.”

How often do you plan to meet, and what will a typical meeting look like?

“We’ll meet three times each month: Two required meetings: the first and last Fridays of the month in Ms. Lindamood’s classroom (Room 227) after school. One optional meeting: an outing where we’ll go outside of school to take photos together. Here’s how it will work: At the first meeting of each month, I’ll introduce a theme or topic for us to take photos of. We will do some Q&A if y'all have any questions. At the last meeting, we’ll share and discuss our photos, offering feedback to help each other to improve. We will also do some Q&A for anyone with questions.”

Are there any plans in the future or any personal goals you have for this club?

If we have enough photos about each topic, then I'm planning on donating some photos to public places. Such as donating photos that we took about hope, optimism, joy, etc. to hospitals.