From religious, creative, and sports, clubs at East Meck are very diverse. But for some, competitive clubs fuel their ambitious side. Clubs like HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), which engages in CPR and trivia, and Chess club, which participates in cutthroat tournaments, are some of East’s biggest competitors. Winning doesn’t come easy. These clubs know all too well that winning requires hard work and preparation. Hours of practice go into each competition, from scrimmages to group studying. Training isn’t easy, and each club has their own way of going about it.
For clubs like Battle of the Books (BOB), trivia is the basis of their competition. Members are quizzed against different schools based on a list of 12-16 books from various genres assigned by the NC Library and Media Association. Although the amount of books sounds daunting, Senior Lyla Zimmerman describes the process of preparing for the competition. “At the beginning of the year we make a spreadsheet with columns; ‘I have read’ and ‘I will read,’” Zimmerman said. “We divide the list accordingly.” Then BOB goes through the process of dividing the books out equally, so that each member can have a deeper understanding of each book, securing the victory.
East also offers numerous hands-on clubs, like HOSA, which prepares its members for a variety of future healthcare careers from nutrition to emergency medicine, as well as working directly with the Red Cross to hold blood drives at the school. Additionally, members look forward to the fierce competitions that cover health-related quizzes, as well as events where members are expected to perform CPR and treat simulated major bleeds. For the test-taking events, HOSA members take a more traditional approach to preparation. “We have textbooks and online resources to study,” HOSA President Ava Leung said. But, for the most hands-on portions of the competitions, members have to get creative with their preparation. The club’s former advisor, Dr. Pat Alfarone provides supplies such as mannequins and AED machines to practice their medical skills. Although difficult, HOSA competitions are fun and adrenaline-filled as members compete against other schools.
In comparison, Chess Club mixes both logic and hands-on gaming. Chess is a complex strategy-based game, and while for some this can seem intimidating, Chess Club President Pranava Kumar reveals the inclusivity of the Club. “We really try to listen to what the members do, and we try to accommodate each of their skill levels or what they want to learn about.” The preparation for a tournament is a mix of competing against each other, and visits from grandmasters. Grandmasters are the highest ranking chess players, with less than 2000 in the world. The knowledge and wisdom from these high-ranking players is crucial for the players’ improvement, while the matches simulate the actions of the game without the stressful atmosphere, making the club inviting and allowing the members to grow and win competitions.
FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) takes a more performative approach to competitions. FBLA explores all the aspects of business and entrepreneurship, from ethics to coding. Junior Deepika Manikonda joined in middle school, later working her way up to club president. “One reason for joining is you get to take charge of your own thing,” Manikonda said. Competitions consist of hands-on coding, presentations, and even roleplay. Similar to BOB, FBLA uses a spreadsheet to track progress on chosen projects and assign events to members, allowing them to blossom independently.
These few rigorous competition clubs aren’t the only ones East has to offer, but they are some of the most popular. Members work hard to foster a fun, competitive environment. Whether a club is hands-on, test taking or presenting, the variety of clubs at East is immense and allows students to make friends, and experience healthy competition in a fun and welcoming way.
