On Sept. 19, Upper School students gathered in the courtyard for Sidwell’s annual club fair. As festive live music played, club heads handed out candy and greeted underclassmen with enthusiasm.

Freshman Stella Stone appreciated the sense of unity the event brought to campus.

“It was a little bit chaotic, but that’s all part of the fun,” she said.

Stone signed up for several clubs, including Student Democrats and Friends Environmental Action Team (FEAT).

“I am really passionate about the environment, and I want to be around other like-minded people in the FEAT club,” she said.

Other clubs at the fair included Robotics, which hoped to gain new members

“I really want all students to have the chance to experience engineering and CS before they start narrowing down their choices for their future,”  said Director of Upper School Technology Darby Thompson, who is also the Robotics faculty adviser.

Robotics club members have the opportunity to participate in many skill-building competitions, such as the First Tech Challenge and the Marine Tech Remotely Operated Vehicle (MATE ROV) competition. The team has seen extensive success at these competitions, including advancing to the International MATE ROV championships twice.

Another popular club is the Random Acts of Fun and Kindness (RAFK) club.

Juniors Anya Capoor and Ava Song have been heads of RAFK since they restarted it last year, hoping they could have a positive impact on the Upper School community by doing small things to brighten students’ days. Capoor and Song shared previous RAFK activities, including handing out chocolate kisses and organizing a sticky note booth for people to write anonymous compliments at last year’s Homecoming dance.

“The random aspect is a key part of making someone’s day,” Song said, emphasizing the recognition and care people feel after experiencing one of these acts of kindness.