If you’ve been feeling the daily pressures of school life build up, perhaps it’s time to unwind by exploring some of the new clubs on campus that Lynbrook has to offer. Whether through passionate discussion at Lynbrook’s brand-new TED-Ed chapter, workshopping with Lynbrook’s brand new Economics club or wallowing in the oasis of calm at the Zentangle club, there are undoubtedly more opportunities than ever for students to explore activities that are meaningful to them. Here are some of the newest clubs on campus:

TED-Ed Lynbrook

TED-Ed is Lynbrook’s chapter of the world-famous Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) organization, and meets every Friday lunch in room 112. The club encourages its members to take opportunities to give TED-style talks about subjects that they are passionate about.

Weekly activities target development of effective communication skills, in order to help club members talk about topics meaningful to them in an eloquent, concise manner. Examples of activities include sharing personal anecdotes relevant to global issues, and brainstorming strategies in order to communicate these stories effectively.
“In the past, I’ve noticed that many Lynbrook students tend to pigeonhole themselves when it comes to sharing ideas that are unusual or out-of-the-box,” TED-Ed vice president Kanav Tirumala said. “I’m so happy we are able to offer students these speaking engagements that they can be proud of.”

In April, the club will host a TED-Ed Student Talk event, which will be the culmination of all club preparation throughout the year. At the event, all the members will have the opportunity to showcase the skills they have acquired by presenting a thoughtful and original talk.

“I am so moved by the fact that our club is already reaching so many people,” club president Lauren Ho said. “I think it’s just a fantastic opportunity for students to voice their opinions that otherwise might not have been heard.”

Zentangle

The Zentangle club is Lynbrook’s newest art club on campus, and it offers a uniquely tranquil environment for its members. The club allows students to spend their Thursday lunches in room 112 doodling, or “zentangling,” to express themselves without restraint and relieve stress.

“Zentangling is the art form made up of repeating patterns, lines and shapes that have been shown to be extremely therapeutic,” said club president Sathvika Anand.

“With Zentangle, there are no end goals or expectations, much like the environment we wanted to create with our own club.”

The club activities are usually light and informal. All the members gather around one or two tables while “zentangling,” engaging in conversation with other club members while listening to classical music. The officers hope to create a close-knit, welcoming community for students to retreat to every week, free from judgment or expectation.

“We started Zentangle as a fun art club where people could relax and not feel pressured to be super talented,” said club vice president Allison Huang. “At first, I was worried that it was too niche for people to join, but we have actually had a great response to our club in the past few weeks. I think it shows that our club offers the kind of positive atmosphere that many Lynbrook students would enjoy.” 

Economics

Economics Club was passed for the 2019-2020 academic year and will hold its first meeting in the following grading period. The club has ambitious goals, and plans to host competitions, workshops and general interest meetings.

“My friends and I saw a deep lack of opportunities for students looking into taking more advanced economics courses,” the president of competitions Ian Chen said. “We started this club to allow students to explore economics if they were interested in the field while also getting some hands-on experience with finance.”

Economics Club will be meeting during Tuesday lunches to discuss the state of economies around the world with a focus on the United States. The club will analyze the impact of economic trends and decisions and will help members stay informed about how the market functions in today’s political climate. Additionally, the club will provide support and resources for students who want to further their studies of economics outside school. The club officers have even considered spending some lunch meetings helping members with preparation for the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics tests.

The club also plans to host workshops for interested members who would like to discuss economic principles outside of school. This may include stock investment, test preparation and practice for competitions.

 In addition, the club plans to participate in important economic competitions on both state and national levels, including the National Economics Challenge, Stanford Precollegiate Economics Challenge and the Knowledge@Wharton High School Investment Competition. These competitions test skills such as market prediction, budget planning and understanding resource allocation. They will be open to all club members, and preparation for these events will be a major focus during lunch meetings.

“We’re really excited to see how the club turns out next grading period,” Chen said. “We hope that our meetings will prepare our members for courses and careers in economics and finance by offering unique experiences and opportunities that aren’t offered as classes here on campus.”

With these exciting new additions, Lynbrook will now boast a selection of more than 70 clubs. Though some have been disbanded over recent months, it is clear that there are plenty of fresh student organizations to constantly keep students engaged.