Five Things to do at MVHS if You Aren’t Into Sports
Publication Info: Imperial Beach Eagle & Times
Publication Date: December 6, 2018
High school sports are a popular way to make friends, have fun, and stay healthy. Many kids fit right into a team, whether it be soccer, gymnastics, or swimming. However, there are some high schoolers that aren’t that into athletics, or may not feel comfortable in physical competition. Mar Vista High School has many activities and clubs to offer to students that fit into that category. Here are just five of them.
The first non-sports activity you can find at Mar Vista is the Robotics Club. It was started by Thomas Ultican, but is currently being run by Joshua and Audrie Hill. The program has grown in popularity over the last few years. It takes place after school, when the students get together and build robots to compete in the Sweetwater VEX Robotics League, which happens a few times a year.
Audrie Hill said, “The game changes every year, which presents us with new challenges and new things to learn. In the world of coding and programming, that’s exciting stuff.”
One of the captains, senior Jason Capron said, “Robotics is something that brings joy into my life, it’s always something that is fun to do. When I build, I end up losing myself in the work. When I complete a task, it gives me a sense of accomplishment.”
He continued to say, “I wanted to join robotics because the idea of finding all the different ways to build something and seeing how it works was fascinating. It was a good way to get into the basics of engineering and coding.”
This club provides a gateway into engineering that not everyone gets. Audrie Hill said, “I hope that everyone who participates gets to see just how fun Robotics can be, and learns new skills in problem-solving. There are real-world problems that computer science can fix, and VEX opens up all kinds of opportunities for everyone involved.”
The second program available for students at Mar Vista is the Theatre Program. Headed by Rhys Green, it is a semi-professional training program for high school students that want to learn the skills and discipline of a professional actor. The students are taught acting skills, as well as audition skills. Furthermore, all of the sets for productions are built by the students. The actors rehearse, block, and perform plays for friends and family, all while raising money for the program.
The participants involved are very passionate about the program. Senior and club Treasurer, Lily Gomez said, “Drama club, to me at least, means taking the first steps into the world of Dramatic Arts and learning the processes of play production, stage work, and of course acting. Drama club is placing forth creative ideas to bring a written story to reality.”
She went on to describe the sense of community the Drama Program brings to its cast, “I joined Drama club to get out and meet new people who have the same interests as me. Since then, I’ve met so many amazing and unique people who are extremely talented in their own ways and stay true to themselves. We’re a group of misfits that look after each other. Many have come and gone, but the memories are forever.”
Green added, “I hope that all who participate will be college ready and able to go out and audition in the professional theatre world.”
Academic League is the third activity on this list. Academic League is an interscholastic academic competition aligned with NAQT. It is lead by Michael Crawford.
“Academic League–with its 5 member panel format, buzzers and toss-up/bonus questions–is distinct from Academic Decathlon,” Crawford said. “More informally, Academic League is about paying attention. When I’m seeking new recruits, that’s what I’m looking for. Kids who pay attention. It’s not about being smart. It’s about working hard. Your brain is like a muscle–it’s gets stronger when you work with it.”
The students who are involved practice together, learning things from history to pop culture. Member and junior Jack Hinzo said, “When you’re in Academic League you get to be around friends, have a good competition, and you learn something new every day. Also it gives me an excuse to read as much as possible.”
Crawford added, “We’re all different. I admire athletes, but not all kids feel comfortable with physical athletic competition. Academic League allows an opportunity for such kids to be a part of a team, to represent their school, to model good sportsmanship and grace under pressure.”
The fourth activity is Folklorico. Folklorico focuses on traditional dances from a region emphasizing local folk culture. The students learn dances, and perform in beautiful costumes. Daniel Topete started the program in 1997, and still runs it to this day. When asked why he started the program he said, “I wanted to provide the opportunity to all students of having a class to promote their culture and traditions.”
The program has had much success, winning many first, second and third places in the USA National Folklorico Competition. One of the participants, senior Christina Hernandez said, “At first I was probably one of the worst dancers in the class but when I started telling myself I could do it, I got better. The more I practiced the better I became. The more I danced I realized that it was my freedom and escape from the rest of the world. I love performing because it’s for others to enjoy and it allows me to put a smile on their faces, which is all I really want to do in life.”
Topete added, “I wanted to provide the students a broad understanding of their culture and traditions through the dances of different regions of Mexico. Each region or states has their own unique way of dancing, costumes, music and celebrations.”
The fifth and final activity is the Rachel’s Challenge Club. Rachel Joy Scott was the first killed in the horrific Columbine Shooting. The mission of Rachel’s Challenge is, according to the official website, “Making schools safer, more connected places where bullying and violence are replaced with kindness and respect; and where learning and teaching are awakened to their fullest.”
Diana Tellez runs this club with that same mission. “Through this club I feel that I am doing something positive for our school. Both professionally and personally I believe that everyone should be treated with respect and accepted for who they are. The message that this club gives is just that of respect and acceptance. I had a really tough time in elementary school and middle school because I wore glasses and back then that was ‘nerdy’ and so I always felt like I didn’t belong. I don’t want students to ever feel like they don’t belong.”
The members of this club are passionate about the work they do. The co-President, senior Zaenab Albasam said, “Together we can decrease the idea of hate and discrimination whether it’s between peers or themselves. We encourage positivity and I think that is very necessary in and out of school. We are the change in our schools, community and the world for a better present and future, because positive unity is power.”
These are only five of the many activities Mar Vista has to offer to those not involved, and even those who are involved, in sports. The dedicated teachers and students involved help to create a sense of community and togetherness at the high school. They provide a plethora of choices for students who may not feel they belong in athletics, in order to create an atmosphere where everybody feels valued and accepted.
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