Nov. 19, 2023
By Emma Bannon
Editor
This article is part of an in-depth reporting project about board and card games.
Love playing games? You’re not alone. Last year, three clubs focused on games got their start at LHS. Here is some information about each of them:
Chess Club
Meeting time and location: last Friday of every month in Room 226
English teacher Miss Rendzia, who advises the Chess Club, said two years ago she brought in a chess set to play with students during her duty in the media center. Rendzia said she decided she wanted to head up a Chess Club after several students showed interest in it.
“Come the new school year, [Vice Principal] Mr. Venezia assigned me as the Chess Club advisor since I had approached him about it,” Rendzia said.
She said she hopes to spread her love of chess through the club and encourages experienced and inexperienced players alike to attend the club’s monthly meetings.
“I love the analytical and strategic part of the game,” Rendzia said. “You really have to plan, try to look… one, two or even three or more steps ahead and move accordingly.”
Junior Royce Thomas, who joined the club last year, said the Chess Club has helped him improve his skills as well as practice new moves and strategies.
“Short term, I just want to enjoy playing chess against other people, win or lose. Long term, I would like to get to a comfortable level that I am a formidable opponent even for people that have dedicated quite a bit of time to mastering chess,” Thomas said.
He said he learned how to play chess at a young age from his father, and it has turned into a hobby.
“I enjoy the strategy behind chess, constantly having to calculate the different moves each piece could make next and choosing what would be the best move to make in your favor,” Thomas said.
He said he encourages others to join the club, regardless of their skill level.
“If you want a way to challenge yourself and help improve on your strategizing skills, chess is the game for you,” Thomas said.
Board Game Club
Meeting time and location: Second Friday of every month (third in November) in Room 119
Business and Technology teacher Ms. Orth, who is in her first year advising the Board Game Club, said she has been a competitive game player all her life.
“I love board games,” Orth said. “I have four children, so I have lots of experience with board games.”
Currently, the club offers Catchphrase, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, Equate, Jenga, Mancala, Mastermind, Parcheesi, playing cards, Rummikub, Scrabble, Snakes and Ladders, Sorry, Speed Monopoly and Uno.
“I ask for donations from Facebook groups and things like that. We did not have an existing stockpile of games,” Orth said.
Orth said everyone is welcome to come to a meeting, and she said she hopes the club’s popularity grows.
“It’s a safe space. You can come hang out and be yourself,” Orth said.
Senior Samantha Cardo said joining the Board Game Club was a no-brainer for her and her friends.
“We were able to meet new people and try out new games none of us have. The meetings are very relaxed, and it can be a good stress reliever in the middle of the school day,” Cardo said.
“Short term, I just want to enjoy playing chess against other people, win or lose. Long term, I would like to get to a comfortable level that I am a formidable opponent even for people that have dedicated quite a bit of time to mastering chess.”
She said the club is a good fit for anyone who wants to become more involved in school activities.
“You don’t have to be super competitive or know a bunch of rules about different games. You can just come and have fun,” Cardo said.
True Crime Club
Meeting time and location: Third Wednesday of every month in the media center
English teacher Ms. Coppola, who advises the True Crime Club, said she has always enjoyed true crime.
“The impetus for the club came from two students I had when I covered public speaking classes in 2021,” Coppola said.
She said seniors Nikki Antonesco and Serena Berges were eager to start the club and asked her to be the advisor.
Coppola said at meetings, students team up to use crime kits to solve fictional cases.
“The students come to the media center, some with their lunches, some without, and find the crime kit they are working on. Then, they can get to work solving the crime with their friends and table mates,” Coppola said.
Lucas Melendez, who joined the True Crime Club last year, said he looks forward to its meetings.
“The meetings are super exciting because we have to work really hard until the period is over. Most kits carry over to different meetings,” Melendez said.
He said his interest in the club stemmed from his interest in the genre.
“I’ve always liked watching true crime documentaries on Netflix and hearing the different stories,” said Melendez.
