NAPERVILLE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES The Naperville Central Activities Program has over 80 activities available to you. The following activities are open to ALL students. Everyone may participate. Most activities listed have no tryouts or competitions. They’re just for fun or services to the school and community. Joining is the key to a fun year! Please contact the sponsor of the activity in which you are interested.

Ambassadors Sponsor: Lynne Nolan, Katie Long-Piper, Merigan Neben, Ambassadors is a group that welcomes new transfer students, who are sophomores through seniors, and community members into our school. Ambassadors kick off the year with a new student ice cream social and meet several times with new students in the fall. Applications to be an Ambassador are extended in March to interested students.

Anime Club Sponsor: Chris Hodge, Daniela Cirone Anime club is great way to find new Anime and socialize with new friends of similar interests! We meet to discuss, watch, and draw animation from Japanese television, comics, and manga. Anime is built largely on the Bushido or warrior code of Japan and our focus is on broadening Japanese cultural understanding through the videos we watch.

Art/Ceramics/Photography Club Sponsor: Chris Hodge, Danielle Figueroa, Daniela Cirone Come to art club to create art projects, or experienced students can have studio time to further explore their medium. Art, Ceramics, and Photography Club will meet once a week during the school year.

Black and Latino Student Organization (BALSO) Sponsor: Jason Booker, Alyssa Sprovieri This is a leadership opportunity for students interested in promoting cultural diversity and a sense of belonging among all members of the NCHS community. We will plan several school events to celebrate Black and Latino cultural identities. All students’ grades 9-12 are welcome regardless of race or ethnicity.

Bowling Club Sponsor: Brian Dunn Bowling Club will meet from February 8th thru the end of April. First meeting of the year will be on February 8th in Room 41 afterschool. You will need your own transportation to Brunswick Zone to be able to participate.

Broadcast Club (Hawk TV) Sponsor: Greg Padgett, Katie Long-Piper Student reporters, writers, camera operators and editors produce monthly segments of Hawk TV and other school info videos.

Car Club Sponsor: Chris Feid The purpose of Car Club is to extend automotive knowledge beyond classes offered at NCHS. Meets bi-weekly in the auto shop. The Car Club organizes the Homecoming and Spring Car Shows.

Class Councils Freshmen Sponsor: Nick Digiovanni Sophomore Sponsor: Daniela Cirone Junior Sponsor: Mike Jarvis, Amy Ruettiger Senior Sponsor: Tina Dohm, Jeromy Bentley Each Class is a group of students who represent their class during the school year. Each class has a separate council organization. The purpose of the group is to sponsor worthwhile activities designed to promote class unity and generate student participation in extracurricular activities. In addition, the group structures class participation in special events such as Homecoming, service projects, holiday season activities, and special projects designed to generate funds for future class needs. Please contact the appropriate sponsor for your class for more information.

CEC Club (Council for Exceptional Children) Sponsor: Anna Mautone, Breanne Nikkel CEC Club integrates special education students with our regular education students. Activities are planned so that all can enjoy! Picnics, movies, dances and bowling are just some of the fun activities that they do. All grade levels of students are invited to participate.

Chinese Club Sponsor: Yinhui Liao You don’t have to speak Chinese to join Chinese club. Activities are planned so everyone can enjoy. Baking NianGao, Chopsticks Olympics, Making Dumplings, Potluck, Movie, Game Day, and Picnic are just some of the fun activities. Club meets every other week.

Culinary Club Sponsor: Samantha Szopinski, Terri Rorer The purpose of this club is to provide students with an opportunity to expand their culinary knowledge. Students can develop new skills while preparing food in the culinary kitchens.

The Doctor Who Club Sponsor: Mike Albiniak In Doctor Who club we explore the rich history of Doctor Who by watching episodes from the "Classic Who" era. This era includes from first through eighth and has select episodes from each Doctor. While we watch these episodes we can judge not only the quality of the episode but also how each new writer changes and adds to the story. Mr. Albiniak also adds new information on what was going on in that era and helps us better understand the time in which these episodes were made. While we do not get time to watch new episodes, being exposed to the classic era of Doctor Who is what any fan (or newbie) should do to get a diverse experience of the show.

Dungeons and Dragons Sponsor: Sean Rauen The D & D club is a tabletop roleplaying club. Multiple games are being played at any given time. Anyone interested in roleplaying is welcome. No commitment, experience, or dice needed.

Dynasty – Step Team Sponsor: Susan Macikas, Lynne Nolan While the roots of step dancing stem from African American culture, this club is open to all students who want to give this style of rhythmic performance a try. This group performs at homecoming, a DVC Showcase, and some home basketball game.

Fashion Club Sponsor: Terri Rorer This club is for students who are interested in any topic relating to fashion including but not limited to design, merchandising, shopping, and sewing. This club allows students to share ideas and interests in the fashion industry and provides them with the opportunity to participate in creative activities.

Future Farmers of America (FFA) Sponsor: Colby Gregg FFA is a student organization for those interested in learning more about plants, animals, natural resources, agriculture, and leadership. We participate in leadership, competition, and volunteer opportunities from Naperville and beyond. Students also learn to facilitate their own supervised research or production projects for opportunities to win prizes and scholarships.

French Club Sponsor: Deniece Zinnecker, Jeremy Whitt French Club meets to promote the enjoyment of French food and activities such as movies or games. Some of the treats we enjoy include Bûche de Noël (best Christmas cake ever), cheese and chocolate fondue, madeleines, cheese and bread, and of course lunch at Mon Ami Gabi. Enrollment in French is not required. Meetings begin in September, so watch the hallway TVs and listen to the announcements!

Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Sponsor: Danielle Figueroa GSA works to educate and promote tolerance and understanding among all people.

GEMS (Girls Engineering Math & Science) Sponsor: Katherine Seguino GEMS is a club that helps promote STEM (Science Technology Engineering, Math) subjects specifically to high-school girls. These types of subjects are typically male dominant. We are a unique club at Central, while other science clubs are competitive, we take a more relaxed approach and focus on exploring interests and working as a team such as: • Play team building games • Do make and take experiments • Take field trips to museums and engineering firms • Host speakers that are female and currently in STEM careers

German Club Sponsor: Jackson Howenstine The NCHS German Club offers students to opportunity to learn about German language and culture outside of the classroom. The club meets once monthly and club members attend German-related events such as the NCHS-NNHS Oktoberfest and the Chicago Christkindlsmarket.

Hearts to Offer (non-school sponsored) Sponsor: Randy Smith This student-led Christian group offers students a place to learn more about God through Bible study, worship and prayer.

Human Rights Club Sponsor: Seth Brady Human Rights Club seeks to raise awareness of world events that affect children and people in conflicted areas. They do some fundraising events.

Intramurals Sponsor: Ruth Kuzmanic Intramural sports gives everyone the opportunity to play. Intramural basketball and dodge ball are offered on Friday mornings from 700 - 7:30am.

Investment Club (Wall Street Society) Sponsor: Christine Bell, Sarah Peterson The Wall Street Society, a stock investment club and is designed to increase members’ skill researching, selecting, and managing a stock investment. The club will run according to the National Association of Investors Corporation principles and will be a member of NAIC. Student members will voluntarily contribute their own money, pool it together, and invest the money as a group. Members meet twice monthly on Wednesday evenings. For more information go to: http://d203.schoolwires.net/Page/4652

Junior Statesman of America (JSA) Sponsor: Laura Stark, Samantha Christoff JSA is for students to like to debate in a less competitive manner. If you are interested in current issues and like to talk about them, this is the club for you!

Latin Club Sponsor: Stacy Cunningham Latin Club is for all students interested in the classics. We host monthly events, such as Classroom Olympics, and we also compete in Certamen, a quiz bowl competition focused on the classics. In February, we attend the Illinois Junior Classical League convention. If interested, stop by Rm. 100 for more information!

L.I.F.E Club (Leading and Inspiring Female Empowerment) Sponsor: Mary Wilkerson The mission of L.I.F.E. is to help girls to become strong and confident women. We will raise awareness about female inequality throughout the world, learn from women who model strength, and work to create change.

Linguistics Club Sponsor: Mike Ortiz Students that join will have the opportunity to learn and discuss linguistic issues, and languages. The club aims to increase awareness about the field of linguistics, as well as how language actually functions, and the role that it plays in enabling communication.

Medical Club Sponsor: Amanda Ferreri Medical Club is devoted to increasing knowledge and interest in the medical field through informational meetings and discussions, quizzes, professional speakers, and fact-building activities.

Model United Nations Sponsor: Mike Bochenski This student forum on International Issues and Current Affairs meets twice monthly. Students prepare an international perspective on world issues and present these ideas at the regional Model UN conference in Chicago and/or in Urbana-Champaign.

Multi Cultural Club Sponsor: Laura Stark, Samantha Christoff The NCHS Multi-cultural Club is a diverse group of students attempting to bring a positive message of multicultural awareness to our school through a variety of activities. Students will increase student awareness through monthly recognition of cultural celebrations. Sponsor Multicultural show in March. Discuss issues and educate each other about similarities and differences between cultures.

Muslim Student Association (MSA) Sponsor: Seth Brady, Deniece Zinnecker The Muslim Student Association (MSA) is a student club founded on the principals and practice of Islam. MSA meets weekly throughout the year and hosts social, fundraising, entertainment and speaking events. Members also participate in the annual Muslim Interscholastic Tournament (MIST) with other MSA’s across the state and nation.

National Honor Society Sponsor: Dan Olandese, Samantha Christoff Juniors and Seniors who have achieved a cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.75 and have demonstrated leadership and strong positive character are invited to apply in the fall. See NCHS NHS in the Co-curricular section of the Redbook for complete description.

Orchesis Sponsor: Lindsay Swanson, Anna Mautone Orchesis is a performance dance team. Tryouts are held in the spring. Prior dance experience is needed. We focus on jazz, lyrical, tap, ballet, hip hop and contemporary dance styles. Some of our performances include the Fox Valley Showcase, Naperville Dance Showcase & Illinois Dance Festival.

Pro-Life Sponsor: Randy Smith, Dan Tompkins The purpose of this club is to promote respect for human life, equipping all with the information and resources necessary to protect those who never had a voice.

Red Rage (Pep Club) Sponsor: Barbara Watson, Jackson Howenstine The Red Rage Pep Club provides opportunities for all students to promote spirit and provide service to the school community. The mascot is a member of Red Rage! Red Rage supports athletic events, pep rallies, Homecoming week activities, and coordinates the staff vs. students charity basketball game! The pep club encourages ALL NCHS students interested in promoting school spirit to join us at football tailgates, sign painting and more!

R41N Sponsor: Anna Ma R41n is a fun, no-cut Korean pop dance group that promotes cultural awareness and diversity within the student body at Naperville Central High School.

Russian Club Sponsor: Richard Bain The Russian Club at NCHS meets weekly to learn the Russian language and to discuss and experience Russian culture, foods, and games.

Service Club (Interact) Sponsor: Matt Gresk, Rebecca Swiontek This is our service organization. Projects focus on school, community, and international service projects. Interact meets weekly in the Little Theatre. Projects include •food and coat drives, •Holiday Party for children in Aurora •Leadership opportunities with local Rotarians •Connect with many community events

Show Choir Sponsor: Show Choir is a group of students who combine choral singing with dance.

Spanish Club Sponsor: Jennie Franta, Elise Katter Spanish Club meetings and activities are planned by students who attend at the beginning of each semester. Spanish Club activities include cultural activities such as meeting Spanish exchange students, movies, restaurant trips, competitions, crafts, games and more! All are welcome.

Special Olympics Sponsors: Kristina Hagenbaumer – (NCHS Track) [email protected] Anna Mautone – (NCHS Bowling) [email protected] Mitch Nugent – (NNHS Basketball) [email protected] District 203 offers 3 different combined Special Olympics programs for our students in Special Education. Naperville Central, Naperville North, and District 203’s Connections all qualify for involvement. Regular education peer helpers are encouraged to become involved and participate in the programs. Basketball runs October to March. Bowling runs January to April. Track runs March to June. Please contact staff sponsors for more information:

Student Advisory Council (SAC): Sponsor: Megan Plackett, Eric Kaisling The Student Advisory Council is the student government of Naperville Central High School. Its purpose is to support and initiate new and continuing activities, to advise the Administration, and to assume the role of leadership in student activities. Freshmen/new members can apply in September. All grade levels are represented in this one organization. Spring elections/fall new membership applications. • Regular meetings (at least twice a month) • Attention to student/school concerns • Homecoming Crowning; coordination of all student elections • Blood Drive Coordinators • Mr. NCHS competition • Holiday Spirit Week • Community Service

Theatre Tech Crew Sponsor: Nick France This organization enables all levels of students to learn and develop skills in the backstage areas of theatre. Students can get involved anytime throughout the year. No prior experience is necessary. Students will learn how to work with tools, build scenery, operate lights, and sound equipment.

Theatre Central (Drama) Sponsor: Tom Ulbrich The drama program opens with Coffee House in early October. Practices will begin in early September. Theatre Central meets monthly. Learn all aspects of acting and play production. • Holiday Show • Student Directed One Acts • Workshops on acting • Coffeehouse fundraiser • Community Players Troupe • Fall & spring plays • Children’s Theatre

Truth Seekers Sponsor: Dan Tompkins The purpose of Truth Seekers is to create a comfortable environment for opinions to collide and truth to be discovered through fair-minded analysis of multiple and competing perspectives on club-voted, hot-button topics. We consider the best arguments from all sides, view video clips and discuss freely.

Ultimate Frisbee Club Sponsor: Lynne Nolan Learn to play the field sport of Ultimate. Learn to throw forehand, backhand, and overhead throws. Play intramurals before school and join the NCHS team in league play in the spring.

Urban Arts Club (UAC) Sponsor: Karen Becker Share your love for hip hop, with an urban flair. Open to all students with a desire to learn dance moves at all levels. Performance opportunities may include: Homecoming assembly, multicultural show, and others.

Xbox Club Sponsor: Sean Rauen Come and play Xbox on our large projector screens with other students that love gaming. No commitment required.

Youth & Government Sponsor: Donna Mohn, Mike Wilson This activity provides a “hands on” experience in the democratic process.. This year-long activity which is coordinated with the YMCA. The program begins in mid-September and ends in late March. Youth and Government meets weekly with NNHS students. There is a fee associated with this club. Students • role play state legislator, attorney, media and lobbyists. • prepare legislation, arguments for lobbies, etc. • attend a three-day weekend in Springfield

New Club Applications: Students interested in forming a new club must show that  15 people are interested in the club,  a faculty sponsor is willing to supervise the club,  the mission of the club is not incorporated into the mission /activities of an existing club. New club applications are accepted in September and January. Applications are available in the Activities Office. Upon completion of the application, the student leader must make an appointment to meet with the Activity Director.

CLUBS RELATED TO BUSINESS AND HEALTH & FAMILY SERVICES COURSES BPA (Business Prof. of America) Sponsor: Bradley Neubauer The goals of this club are focused on preparing students for the business workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technical skills. Club activities include opportunities in the following: •Local leadership conferences and a chance to be a chapter, state and/or national officer •Regional, state, and national competitions •Service to our community There is a very broad range of contests in this club focusing on Accounting & Financial Skills, Administrative Support (Word Processing) Skills, Computer & Technical Skills, and Human Relations / Marketing / Management Skills. We will meet one morning each week during the school year.

DECA - An International Business Club Sponsor: Christine Bell DECA is an academic team for students interested in business. DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges in 50 states and 9 countries around the globe. As a chapter, we volunteer in our community, attend leadership conferences and compete at the regional, state and international levels. It is very helpful preparing for competition if a student has taken Intro to Business, Marketing, Advertising, Advanced Marketing and/or Entrepreneurship. Meetings are every Wednesday morning at 7:00am (except on late arrival).

FCCLA – Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Sponsor: Amanda Ferreri, Melissa Gonzalez Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a dynamic and effective national student organization that helps youth become strong leaders and address important personal, family, work and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. Students enrolled in the Health & Human Services Internship at NCHS are members of FCCLA. It offers opportunities for students to make new friends; plan and participate in chapter activities; turn interest and concerns into action and earn recognition at the community, regional, state, and national levels.

CLUBS RELATED TO MUSIC Men’s Chorus: Performs at concerts and at special events throughout the year. This group has grown in popularity over the years and performs locally as well.

Marching Redhawks: The band has a proud and long standing tradition of excellence. The Marching Redhawks  provide half-time entertainment at all home football games throughout the year  competes in fall marching band festivals  performs in the Labor Day and Memorial Day parades in downtown Naperville

Pep Band: This group provides entertainment and spirit for home basketball games during the year.

Jazz Studio Orchestra: This is the “premiere” ensemble of the three jazz groups at Central. The ensemble performs at many concerts at school throughout the year and competes throughout the state. Membership is by audition only and is open to all students at Central

Jazz Band: This band is preparatory in nature for those students who wish to go on to become members of the Jazz Ensemble. The group performs at many school concerts throughout the year and also competes at jazz competitions throughout the state. Membership is by audition only and is open to all students at Central.

Jazz Lab: This ensemble serves as an introduction to the other two Jazz groups at Central. A variety of different basic jazz styles and concepts are explored. The group performs at various school functions and travels to jazz festivals during the year. No experience is necessary and no audition is required to join.

Ensembles: Most students who participate in band also choose to participate in an ensemble group. A range of ensembles will include Clarinet Choir to Drum Ensembles.

Bella Corda: by audition only. Want to play HARDER, more challenging music than even Symphonic Orchestra? This group meets after school for an hour and a half each week to work on ensembles, auditions and to challenge ourselves to be the best!

Hot Wire: An alternative styles string group that explores contemporary and fiddle music.

TRI-M Chapter: recommendation by your band, choir, or orchestra teacher. This is a nationally recognized honor society for high school musicians. Looks great on college applications! Let your teacher know if you are interested.

Musician’s Club Sponsor: Dan Goldstein Musician’s Club is a place for students of all grade levels to share ideas and work together making music. Students have the opportunity to record and produce original music thanks in part to a recent NEF grant. Musician’s Club has both fall and spring performances at NCHS. Meetings are once a week after school.

CLUB ACTIVITIES INVOLVING WRITING AND JOURNALISM Central Times (Newspaper) Sponsor: Keith Carlson, Taryen Polykandriotis The Central Times is Naperville Central’s award-winning, student-produced newspaper. Student editors and staff members determine and produce all content. They design and layout pages for a monthly print edition and maintain a web site and various social media accounts. In addition, they help to solicit ads to fund the paper and compete in competitions at the local, state, and national levels. Involvement in the production of the paper gives the student a total journalistic experience. While at Central, students may enroll in various journalism courses. Entry into Journalism Lab, the newspaper production course, is by application only. Students may also participate in the program without being in a journalism class by attending monthly club meetings for assignments.

Flight (Yearbook) Staff Sponsor: Rachel Thorne, Sarah Albiniak The staff gathers photographs, writes stories, and plans the layout of the yearbook. Yearbook layout is offered as an elective course through the Communication Arts Department and is open to students after their freshman year. Students interested in more information regarding the yearbook should contact Mrs. Thorne in the Communication Arts Dept. Freshmen may participate as an after school activity.

Literary Magazine Sponsor: John Hayward Lit Mag staff members collect and evaluate written and artistic submissions from NCHS students to include in a full-color, year-end publication. The award-winning magazine is the result of several writing contests and design sessions where editors create the layout of the finished product. No technical skills necessary; creativity, proofreading and an artistic eye will develop throughout the year. Lit Mag meets monthly August through January, weekly and then daily (if needed) as we get closer to our deadline in May. Writer’s Block Sponsor: Nicole Weiss This is a group that meets 2-3 times a month after school to review their original works of writing. Poetry, short stories, and other creative original works are discussed. One does not need to be a member of a class in order to participate.

COMPETITIVE GROUPS Pom Pons (Arrowettes) Varsity Sponsor: Sarah Kandl, Terri Rorer JV Sponsor: Hollie Carson Poms promote school spirit and to entertain at athletic events, pep rallies, and other special events. The JV and Varsity Pom squads perform at football and basketball games. Tryouts are in April. Poms also participate in Saturday competitions against other schools to quality for state competition

Cheerleading Varsity Sponsor: Samantha Szopinski, Becky Chiapetta JV Sponsor: Melissa Gonzalez, Karin Roberts Cheerleading provides an organized means of providing support and enthusiasm for major sporting events (Football and basketball games). Tryouts are held in April for JV & Varsity. Cheerleaders also participate in Cheerleading competitions.

Color Guard/Flag Team (SPIRITS) Sponsor: Chuck Cummings, Tiffany Johnson, Laurie DeKruiff Our Spirits Color Guard team performs at football games and in competitions as part of the Marching Redhawks. There is a tryout in the Spring for the Spirits program, which practices throughout the summer and fall. The Spirits Color Guard also has a competitive winter program with another tryout in the fall. The winter Spirits practice throughout the late fall/winter months and compete against other schools in Saturday and Sunday competitions during the Winter months – Winter Guard members must participate in the fall marching band season.

Robotics Club Sponsor: Wright King, Flint Collier Learn the essentials of robot mechanical design and software programming through participation in VEX robotics competitions. We meet weekly starting in September with competitions starting in December and ending in March.

Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Sponsor: Jeremy Bentley, Flint Collier The WYSE Academic Challenge is a competitive series of tests designed to present a challenge to the brightest students. Students compete as a team and individually to complete exams written by teams of college and university faculty. Subjects include biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, mathematics, and physics. Students have the opportunity to advance as a team or at-large through regional, sectional, and state level competitions.

JETS Sponsor: Jeremy Bentley, Flint Collier Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) is an annual competition for high school students designed to help them discover their potential for engineering. During this one-day competition, students apply math and science knowledge in practical, creative ways to solve real-world engineering challenges. Students compete as a team of up to 8 students to answer 80 multiple choice questions and 8 free response scenarios regarding a pre-selected topic. Previous topics have included water, energy, and theme parks.

Science Olympiad Sponsor: Lindsey Stevenson, Leah Johnson This is a competition-based activity. Students compete in pairs (or groups of 3) in the following areas: • Taking tests that cover biology, earth science, chemistry or physics (including specific topics like entomology or water quality). • Building and testing devices such as bridges, wood planes, wheeled vehicles, RubeGoldberg devices, or robots. • Performing laboratory activities in biology, earth science, chemistry or physics.

Chess Team: Sponsor: Mike Steger From October to February, Chess meets twice a week and has regular meets with fellow DVC schools. The season begins in November and ends after the State Tournament the 2nd weekend of February. All competitions are governed by the IHSA. The Chess Team is open to all students regardless of experience. Participation in competitions is based on play against other team members.

Forensics (Speech Team) Sponsor: Jeremy Lin, Students receive competitive training in public speaking interpretation. The team offers 14 unique and challenging performance opportunities. Practice begins in September and season concludes in February.

Congressional Debate Team Sponsor: Randy Smith Students will participate in Congressional Debate, also known as Student Congress, and learn speaking, arguing, researching, and networking skills. Members will compete in monthly tournaments in Illinois with the possibility of additional national-level tournaments. The Congressional Debate Team begins practicing within the first month of school beginning.

Math Team Sponsor: Marissa Rakes, Adam Winiecki, Lisa Gebbie This team fosters interest in the field of Mathematics. It also broadens the background of team members and serves as a social function for each member. The team competes in the North Suburban Mathematics League and the DVC conference as well as in the state series. Weekly meetings start in September

Scholastic Bowl Sponsor: Hans Muehsler, Victor Snodgrass A team of students will compete in the various academic areas against other schools Scholastic Bowl is similar to the popular show – “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” The team also competes in the DVC conference and in the IHSA series. All grade levels needed! Practices begin in late September.