Gather your fishing poles, bowling balls, and gavels. It is time for the Oratory Prep Club Fair.  This exciting event was held this past Friday, September 22nd and gave the 7th, 8th, and 9th graders of OP exposure to the many enjoyable clubs and activities they can participate in.  Representatives from each of the 33 clubs were given a brief window to sell their club to the newest members of the Oratory community.  After the event, these new students received a survey to analyze their experiences and share feedback on the event.

Many students felt that Mock Trial, the Chess Club, Technology Club, and the Video Game Club were the most interesting groups at the fair.  Those interested in Mock Trial and Chess Club were likely drawn to the intellectual and entertaining challenges that these clubs possess.  Many students were also impressed with Oratory Prep’s Mock Trial history, which includes six straight county championships along with many sectional championships, state runner ups and state championship titles.  Those who were not in the mood for brain exercises leaned towards more fun filled clubs.  Members of the Videogame Club meet together to share a laugh and play games.   Students in the Tech Club are able to influence and contribute to Oratory’s technological goals and share with one another the fun aspects of technology.

There were slight differences, however, when students were asked which club gave the most entertaining pitch to join their group.  For this category, the three standouts were the Bowling Team, Photography Club, and the Sports Enthusiasts Club.  Many students were impressed by the miniature game that Bowling set up to bring Oratorians to their table and the lollipops that were given out after playing the game.  The Photography Club also had physical models of what they had produced and gave an impressive sales pitch of the joys in joining their group.  Finally, students were drawn to Sports Enthusiasts Club because of the attention their articles received on the world wide web.  For those who do not know, the SEC meets to discuss pertinent sports topics, write articles, and go on field trips to various sporting events, making it clear why many students wanted to join this club.  The students commonly mentioned a SEC article a student wrote on football that received over 2,000 views and was trending on Google.  When students were asked if anything could be done to improve the Club Fair, the majority said that it was spot on perfect and a great way to introduce them to the many activities at Oratory Prep.  The only thing that students wished for was more time at the fair, so they could sample all of the clubs that were there, not just a portion of them.

Oratory Prep’s annual tradition, the Club Fair proved to be an engaging, practical, and fun-filled way to introduce new Rams to the atmosphere of OP by showing them the many clubs and activities.  Almost all new students loved the experience and can’t wait to join as many clubs as possible following the event.  Everyone hopes that these new students will keep their excitement about these activities and continue the tradition of these clubs and this fantastic event.

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/VCZzKj