Special Programs and Activities
If students have a passion for an activity that is not already represented, we encourage them to meet with the Dean of Students to outline the mission of a new club, find a faculty member to support the club, and request start-up funds from the Student Activities Fund.
5th Grade Math Buddies
Once a week, a group of upper schoolers will go to the fifth grade classrooms and provide interactive math games that encourage exploration and enrich the typical fifth grade math curriculum. These games will range from Sudoku-like puzzles to engineering challenges with Legos. Each buddy will work with the same group of kids each week, and lesson plans will be provided by the leaders.
Book Club
Do you love books in all their forms? If so, join us in book club, where the group will decide on books to read, and meet about once a month to discuss them. We will also have weekly meetings to chat about all things books and library. People who attend weekly meetings will be able to assist with library displays and recommend books to be purchased for the Park library. We are open to reading any genre. It doesn’t matter if you’re a slow or fast reader, everyone is welcome and It’s a good opportunity to make friendsacross different grades.
Civil Rights Trip
Since 2004, students and faculty from Park School, Baltimore City College High School, and City Neighbors High School fundraise, study, and prepare for a trip through the South visiting sites and meeting people that were – and are – important to the Civil Rights Movement. What they experience is used as a springboard for discussion about activism and ways we can tackle current civil rights issues in Baltimore and beyond.
Coding Club
The purpose of this activity is to provide a space for people who are interested in coding at all levels and be inclusive towards everyone while giving them an opportunity to expand their knowledge and bond over shared interest. Coding club is a space where any coder at any level of knowledge or skill is welcome to come work on their code together. We will choose a project to work on based on what you are most interested in and learn and work on it together throughout the year. Students are welcome to work on their own projects, help each other, and learn new coding skills, though we encourage them to engage with the project that we choose to work together on and share their knowledge and ideas. We hope to build a space where people feel comfortable working together in sharing their knowledge, learning new things, and asking for help. We also hope to learn a new skill (or skills) and work towards completing a project together.
Debate Team
The Park School Debate Team is a competition-focused team where students learn about contentious modern issues and develop argumentative and public speaking abilities through debating otherschools– all while having fun as a team and engaging with schools across Maryland! We compete in Public Forum debates where two teams two debate a resolution released by the National Speech and Debate Association. We also have members compete in individual speech events where they present scripted or improv speeches on political or social issues. In the past, we have debated issues from legalizing all drugs to NATO’s presence in the Baltic states.
Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)
DECA allows students to demonstrate their knowledge of important career content, as well as creativity, problem solving, and presentation skills to a business professional. During conferences, students choose a competitive event that best fits their career interest and skills. Throughout this club, we will study and prepare for our conferences to Regionals and States. Joining DECA is a great way to gain more knowledge in future career interests and learning how to be more professional.
First Tech Challenge Robotics Team
Each year, the Robotics Team designs and builds a robot to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition. We get six weeks starting at the beginning of January to build, meeting after school and on weekends. We are looking for members to fill both technical roles, such as programming and mechanical design, and non-technical roles, such as fundraising and graphic design. No prior experience necessary; all you need is a desire to learn! Meetings typically begin during the fall on a once-a-week basis.
Future Medical Professionals of America
Are you considering a career in the medical field? Do you dream of becoming a medical professional? Well, our club called Future Medical Professionals of America is great for you! We meet twotimes a month and once with a guest speaker in the medical field, who is happy to answer your questionsabout their journey to medical school and their career path. Everyone is welcome to join! You don’t have to be sure of your career path to join this club.
Gallery Committee
Gallery Committee is involved with the art exhibitions at Park— we are involved with installation and deinstallation of exhibitions doing things like, painting walls, hanging vinyl, and art handling. The group also serves as an advisory committee to the department and helps make decisions about themes and artists involved in the shows and the resident artist each year. We try to get off campus and see artwork in the DMV region. Art experience is not necessary.
International Student-Led Arctic Monitoring and Research (ISAMR)
The International Student-led Artic Monitoring Research (ISAMR) club is a group of students that conduct original research in the sub-artic. There are two main research trips each year: one in August focusing on the permafrost, and one in October focusing on Polar Bear whisker prints. During the year members of the club process the data from the research in Churchill to present through scientific papers, at conferences, and to the school community. Time is also spent learning about the culture of the indigenous people in our study area, the Sayisi Dene. ISAMR as a program includes a wide variety of students, from other students in Baltimore to Junior Canadian Rangers, who live in the sub-artic year round to other Canadian high schoolers. ISAMR is great for you if you’re interested in science, want to learn about other cultures, or just like cool adventures.
Math Squared
If you’re interested in doing fun math problems, practicing for your favorite math class, or exploring how math interacts with society, this is the club for you! The Math Squared club prepares teams to represent Park in local and regional math competitions, practicing techniques for mental math and useful problem-solving strategies. Competing is not required to come to the club and as long as you’re interested in math, this club is for you regardless of your current class or skill level!
Mock Trial
Mock Trial is an activity where we closely study and discuss a “mock” case and prepare to defend both sides against other high school teams in a statewide competition. Students take on attorney and witness roles to present the case in real courtrooms in front of real judges and lawyers. Hours of discussion, team collaboration, and the guidance of Tony Asdourian and Jamie Altchek, as well as local, experienced attorneys, create strong arguments and a close-knit group.
Model UN
Model United Nations is an exciting opportunity to learn about world events and attend MUN conferences- simulations of the U.N. At conferences, our school represents a country and by forming alliances, blocs, and writing resolutions, progress can be made. If you enjoy debates and simulations in history class, then you’ll love competing with students around the world for the interests of your country.
Stage Band
Do you like playing arrangements of popular music, Jazz, Klezmer, Funk, or Mambo? This ensemble is open to winds, brass, strings, rhythm section (bass, guitar, piano, and drums/percussion) and vocalists who want to improvise and harmonize in a student lead group. The group performs at seasonal concerts and school events. You do NOT need to have prior experience on your instrument: we are open to everybody interested. We will develop a variety of skills: sight reading, improvisation, and performing will be our focus. Hope to see you there
Asian Culture Club
(*Please note that this club is open to everyone who is interested in Asian culture and that it is not an affinity group.) We both learn and introduce the Eastern side of the world through music, food, and games to Park students. A major project that we do is to organize a school-wide Lunar New Year Festival.
Asian/Pacific Islander Affinity Club
This affinity group is for Asian and Pacific Islander (API) students who are interested in discussing topics relative to API people at Park School and beyond. The club provides an opportunity for API students to consider this particular aspect of their identity, to enjoy the company of other API students, and to develop programming that will increase the visibility of the API community at Park.
Big Sisters Club
The purpose of this club is for Upper School girls to be a mentor and create a support system for girls who are POC in Middle School. At each meeting, there will be an overall topic to talk about such as body image, relationships, friends, etc., through slideshows, discussion, and videos. A time to talk about anything and build community, the meetings will be a check in for Middle Schoolers to share how they’re doing, and to know that they have a support system they can come to. The hope is that Upper School girls of color get involved so the group can have a wide range of perspectives and include people Middle School girls feel they can connect with.
Black Female Forum
Black Female Forum is a safe space for Black females at Park (gender queer students, faculty, and stuff are welcome as well). In this club, we share personal thoughts and issues, and we also discuss current events that affect Black people, and plan events for our community.
Black Male Forum
Black Male Forum is a club in which we talk about being a Black male in society today. Discussions range from day to day banter, intellectual debates about race, class, and even politics. We also plan assemblies, events, and even protests. Black Male Forum is not an exclusive club, anybody and everybody is welcome.
Christian Student Coalition (CSC)
The purpose of this club is to engage with one another about all things centered around Christian faith and identity, relating them to current issues relevant to high school students. We like to hold a space for Christian-identifying students where they will be able to have conversations, discussions, and be involved in activities centered around Christian faith and create a safe and comfortable environment for students who identify as Christian while also building community, connection, and outreach to others.
Jewish Student Union
The mission of the Jewish Student Union is to help teens explore and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Jewish people. JSU facilitates regular club meetings in schools that meet during the lunch hour, before or after school, providing food for the body and soul. Programs include speakers from a variety of Jewish organizations, discussions on timely topics of interest to the participants and interactive activities. Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Starbucks, holiday foods or other snacks are always served. In addition to the regularly scheduled school club meetings, JSU sponsors activities outside of school including retreats, citywide holiday parties, community service projects, ski trips, Friday night dinners, international trips, and other exciting events.
Latinx/Hispanic Affinity Group
We will be connecting through our identity and helping causes related to our correlations with them. For example, help to fundraise for countries in South America, donate to immigration centers and more!
Middle Eastern and North African Affinity Group (MENA)
MENA hopes to create a space for Middle Eastern and North African students to discuss cultural identity and experiences at Park. The affinity group plans to meet every week to plan fundraisers and cultural events. This past year, MENA has brought in speakers, held fundraisers and planned multiple assemblies for Ramandan and Arab American Heritage month. We encourage both students of Middle Eastern/North African heritage and people interested in helping out and learning more about the culture to join!
Multiracial Affinity Club
Do you live in a multicultural household? Do you have parents or guardians from different ethnic groups? Do you experience food, holidays, culture, music, art, etc. through the lenses of multiple cultures in your family? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s possible that you identify as multiracial and are a perfect fit for our affinity group! This affinity group is for multiracial people to explore all aspects of their racial identity and connect with others that share similar experiences. We will be able to discuss what it means to be multiracial and share experiences and culture, as well as talk about injustices, representation, and what we would like to see changed (in addition to taking action to change it!).
POWER (Park’s Organization for Women’s Empowerment and Rights)
POWER is a group that provides a safe space to discuss, plan, and take action in the Park community. Recently, there has been more of a push from the women at Park for change. In the past there have been multiple Postscript articles and conversations surrounding the sexism that occurs in and outside of our classrooms. Our goal is to continue these conversations and push for equality at Park. During our weekly meetings, we will be having conversations about the female experience at Park, listening to speakers, as well as taking real action within the community. *NOTE: You do not have to identify as female to be part of this group! Though we will be having conversations about the female experience, POWER is open to all people in the Park community.
Brownie (Yearbook)
Brownie is responsible for the design, material, and publication of the school’s yearbook. We photograph the student and faculty body, compile spreads, and write segments, altogether making the school’s most important publication of the year.
Park Journal
The Park Journal, which is published monthly, is a publication of academic student work. Pieces are submitted by faculty members or students themselves to a group of students and faculty for anonymous consideration. If you are interested in helping to decide which pieces are ultimately included, editing chosen work, illustrating the Journal, and/or putting the issues together, come join us!
Postscript (School Newspaper)
Our mission is to create a newspaper that informs and highlights the Park community. Our sections include News, Commentary, Features, Arts and Culture, and Sports. We also provide an opportunity for students to develop strong writing and editing skills.
Admissions (Upper School Student Ambassadors)
The purpose of the Student Ambassador Program is to support the Admissions Office with many of its functions and operations. Student Ambassadors provide support by participating in programs and activities that promote Park School in the community. Activities include hosting prospective students, giving tours of the school, attending school fairs, and sharing personal experiences of Park’s values, philosophy, and community with prospective families. The Student Ambassador Program is looking for anyone who has a positive attitude about our school and would like to share this with people interested in Park.
Animal Advocates Club
The purpose of the Animal Advocates Club is to raise awareness for animal welfare needs and to provide a community for students at Park who want to get involved in animal care. The club will plan assemblies, pet supply drives, bake sales to raise money for animals in need, foster advertisements, and even opportunities to volunteer at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS). If you enjoy spending time in nature, have pets, want to work with animals in the future, or just love animals, this club is perfect for you.
Bruins Athletics Council
Bruins Athletic Council serves to encourage student athletes on campus to continue their athletic career throughout Middle/Upper school. BAC hopes to recruit new athletes each year onto all of our sports teams. We strive to make connections between our Middle School and Upper School teams to form a strong athletic community, and start developing stronger skills in our younger athletes. Our club also serves to strengthen school spirit by promoting athletic events and encouraging student turnout at games to support our student athletes.
Gear for Food
Gear for Good is an Upper School club dedicated to helping improve opportunities in sports for kids who do not have access. Our goal is to help kids and communities in need to get opportunities to play sports by donating sports gear and equipment, while organizing athletic events to get people involved in the club, and interested in the cause.
Helping Hands
The purpose of this club is to fundraise money through various events such as bake sales and donations. All the proceeds will go towards food, clothing, and necessary items (mouthwash, lotion, hand sanitizer, etc.) for homeless individuals. We will package up all the items and hand them out to those in need. We hope to volunteer at homeless shelters once a month. We are looking for creative, dedicated, and open minded individuals to help out fellow Baltimore citizens!
Meals Matter
Meals Matter is a student-led nonprofit dedicated to combating food insecurity while instilling lasting commitment to volunteerism in youth through activism and action. We host events ranging from food drives, volunteer service, and educating the youth on food insecurity. We invite all to join us to help the community and get easy community service hours. Last year we hosted two bake sales, a ping pong contest, presented to the Lower School, made bunches of lunches with the afterschool program, made cards for the Baltimore Hunger Project, collected donations for the Baltimore Hunger Project, and met with Zeke Cohen (president of the Baltimore City Council).
Mentors
Mentors are committed to fostering connections across grades, and helping to build our community’s strength and resilience. All club members either have or will receive training from an organization called Sources of Strength, which promotes the creation of healthy habits and a personal support system. Our club’s mission is to spread hope, help, and strength throughout our community by encouraging students and staff to recognize and turn to their own strength and support in times of need. This year, we are super excited about all of our plans to introduce a new peer-to-peer mentor program, grow our social media platform, and host community events
Michael Cardin Writing Tutors
After training in Writing Practicum (an Upper School semester elective), student tutors staff and run the Michael Cardin ’85 Writing Center. Tutors work with Lower, Middle, and Upper School writers in a variety of settings, including one-on-one conferences and small workshop groups. They attend regular staff meetings to debrief and to discuss and practice their tutoring skills.
Partners at Park
Partners at Park is an all-school club that pairs younger students of color backgrounds with Upper School mentors. We work to broaden the discussion of diversity at Park, and to create strong student bonds across grade levels.
Red Cross Club
Our mission is to support the community both locally and globally alongside the American Red Cross organization and Service of the Armed Forces (SAF) by planning blood drives and fundraising for different causes, including on-site certification for first aid and CPR. As a member of the club, you’ll be helping others alongside your friends.
Self Care Club
SCAP (Self Care at Park) is a club dedicated to promoting and providing convenient hygienic opportunities for students. We restock (as needed), check, and clean each of the Self Care Stations, which are located throughout the Upper School. Our club features different levels of commitment, most opportunities are of moderate-high commitment and require bi-weekly attendance, unless communicated otherwise. The Self Care station is adjusted by the needs of the Upper School students and faculty. We have had countless fun fundraisers to raise the funds to buy products and have also presented at assembly during national and global hygiene holidays. If you’d like to be involved in this project, come meet with us on Mondays at X! We’ll be happy to see you and have your support.
Senior Center Connection Club
We will gather once a week and write cards/make gifts for people living at retirement/assisted living homes. Once a month we will aim to go and visit those homes and brighten their day by listening to their stories and playing games. Occasionally we will also be holding fundraising to buy board games, magazines, and others to donate to the homes.
ShareBaby Club
ShareBaby is an organization that addresses the unmet basic needs of young children in Baltimore through the distribution of diapers and other essential items. We aim to raise money, collect baby supplies, and volunteer at the ShareBaby Warehouse. We will also be assisting ShareBaby in other ways, depending on their needs. Last year we participated in “Snow Globes for Good” at The Village of Cross Keys by customizing a large snow globe representing school spirit and partnering with ShareBaby to raise awareness and donations, and we won an award for our submission! We will be participating again this year.
Student Senate
What is the purpose of the Senate? Is it to plan the best dances in the area? Is it to raise school spirit? Sure, we do those things. However, at Park, Senate is more: it is a group of representatives who advocate for the changes desired by the student body. We meet once a week to plan fundraisers, vote to grant money to clubs, receive updates regarding each faculty department, and discuss any proposals/questions that the larger student body has made. More broadly, we use student input to make positive changes to the community. We have an open door policy: even if you are not an elected senator, we welcome all thoughts.
Tutoring at Baltimore Montessori Charter School
Montessori is a great way to delve into the world of instructing kids, and working with them to improve their skills in school. It is an amazing way to create a bond with a child that will look up to you, and get excited when you return each week! In the past, we haven’t formally met regularly. Each week, the first eleven people are able to go into the city and work in the classrooms.
Tutoring at KIPP
In partnership with the KIPP Ujima Village Academy, a public charter school in Baltimore City the Park group will travel to KIPP and support students with their school work. The goal is not only to improve KIPP students’ academic work, but to create a lasting partnership and bond with the students at the KIPP school. This mentorship program will create opportunities for individual support in learning, while also giving Park students a chance to improve their tutoring and leadership skills.
3Design Club
3Design’s goal is to teach students the thinking required to be an engineer, how to design 3D models for 3D printing to solve problems in the school, and various other skills, like public speaking, leadership, and 3D printing. 3Design allows students to be cooperatively creative together with their friends, inventing and quickly implementing solutions for problems across the school. The more unique the design the better! Here, you can learn 3D modeling and design programs, use them to create a product that becomes real via 3D printing, and even learn how to use one of our top of the line 3D printers.
Baking Club
Baking club is a fun opportunity for students of all grades to get together and make something as a group. Regardless of your experience or knowledge of baking, we welcome you to join. Take a break from work and stress to bake together.
Book Club
Do you love books in all their forms? If so, join us in Book Club, where the group will decide on books to read, and meet about once a month to discuss them. We will also have weekly meetings to chat about all things books and libraries. People who attend weekly meetings will be able to assist with library displays and recommend books to be purchased for the Park library. We are open to reading any genre. It doesn’t matter if you’re a slow or fast reader, everyone is welcome and It’s a good opportunity to make friends across different grades.
Chess Club
Chess Club is a fun place for students of all skill levels. Meetings will be a combination of lessons and match play, but we are open to accommodate any activity that someone may want to do.
Costume Crew
Costume Crew supports all productions at Park. We bring characters to life through careful costume design, makeup, hair, and sewing. We are a part of the backbone that keeps productions together, running, and completed. Costume crew gives every student an opportunity to be creative, have input, learn, and make meaningful art.
Game Club
In Board Gaming and Game Design Club, students can experience an endless variety of different board games and card games. Members of any gaming experience are welcome to join us; no knowledge of any game is needed. We meet every Tuesday from 3 to 5:20 p.m. and every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m.; however, presence for the entire session is definitely not required. Our collection features virtually unlimited choices ranging from the simplest twenty minute deckbuilders to the most advanced of wargames. We encourage newcomers, even those who are strangers to complex strategy games, to try some of our more convoluted material. We also intend to put more of a focus on game design for the coming school year. We have worked on a few game concepts to which aim to give more thought, as well as designing fan content for already existing games. Anyone interested in the art of creating such content should join us to help with our aspirations of having real games published.
Park Bakers
In this club we bake delicious treats every other week one day at X block and in between the weeks that we bake we will vote and discuss what to bake the following week. We welcome all skill levels of baking to enjoy our treats! We will also have an optional meeting in the G block prior to our regular meeting time where we will prep ingredients to bake. We will enjoy them as a community and also plan to host bake sales to fundraise for charities/food insecurity.
Park Lifters
Park Lifters’ is a low-commitment club where community and exercise meet. We generally meet in the Fitness Center, and Athletic Center, or sometimes on the turf. We learn new exercises, participate in games like Ultimate Frisbee, and several other activities. We are open to all and will be happy to have you!
Sailing Club
Sailing (the sport) meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-6:30 p.m., and experience is not required. We compete regionally against a bunch of other area schools, and it’s a really great time. Sailing Club is low commitment and teaches strategies about sailing, racing, wind conditions, and tactics while competing.
She Means Business
Each week for the first semester of the year we will focus on a different aspect of business and entrepreneurship or what it means to be a woman in business. After the first semester, individuals or pairs will start to apply what they have learned to a feasible business model/idea (selling paintings, bake shop, babysitting etc) that they will create in our weekly meetings over the rest of the year. Additionally, once a quarter, we will have a speaker come and present to the group.
Sketch 2 Learn
Sketch 2 Learn is a club where you can pursue your passion for art, in a relaxing and fun environment. Finding people who have a shared interest in art can unexpectedly become your friends! If you’re looking for a place to learn and practice art, this is the place for you! All skill levels are welcome.
Sports Management Club
During our club meetings, we will have debates and discussions on current sports news and events. We will bring in guest speakers who live in the sports management world. We will also have competitions — for example, fantasy football and sports jeopardy.
Tech Crew
Tech crew are responsible for building the sets, designing the lighting, running the sound, and working backstage for theatre productions at Park. We are also in charge of running school events such as Goldsoundz, assemblies, and the occasional concert. It’s a lot of work, a lot of fun, and a great way to meet new friends and contribute to the school. Your experience is as much as you make it, both in time put in and skills learned. No prior experience is required as there will always be someone happy to teach you something new.
Terraform Club
Our goal is to design, make, and learn about terrariums and their inhabitants, and create community engagement. We have built two terrariums for two separate snakes. Additionally, we vended our own replicon table as our first fundraiser for our Costa Rica trip, which got approved. We expanded our isopod collection so we could support our fundraiser, made additional small terrariums, and did a dissection with 26 people. We also hosted a trivia and board games night.
Ulman Foundation
Ulman Foundation is a house that provides a supportive community for young adults impacted by cancer. It adds a way to connect with people from across the country. As a club we will support Ulman Foundation by raising money, participating in events sponsored by Ulman, volunteer at Ulman, and participate in educational activities to learn more about cancer.
