Middle School Clubs
Broadcasting Club
Who Can Join: Students interested in video production
Club Goal: The goal of the club is to produce the monthly video newsletter for ORCA, filming video segments that inform and showcase students at the school.
Why Join:
Learn video creation best practices.
Collaborate with peers who enjoy video production.
Help show off what an amazing school ORCA is.
Activities:
Meet once per month.
Film video segments for the newsletter.
Take on-location filming field trips based on club member input.
Chess Club
Who Can Join: All interested students
Club Goal: To learn how to play chess and make friends.
Why Join:
To make friends while playing chess.
Learn how to beat your parents at chess.
Activities:
Playing chess.
Making friends.
Competing in tournaments.
Craft and Chat Club
Who Can Join: Grades 6-8
Club Goal: Provide a safe space to get some social time in and to encourage others in their crafty endeavors.
Why Join:
Enjoy creating things with your hands.
Get in more social time with other students.
Activities:
Share progress on your crafts (embroidery, crochet, painting, etc.).
Socialize, sit, and chat.
Optionally create a tutorial for a basic project in your craft to share with the club.
Digital Art Hub Club
Who Can Join: Middle school students
Club Goal: Create a digital art showcase to share with the whole middle school.
Why Join:
It's a fun and friendly space to share your artwork and get feedback.
Find inspiration and make new friends who love art.
Activities:
Connect with fellow artists and exchange feedback.
Experiment with digital art tools and tackle creative challenges.
Team up to design a digital art showcase.
Drama Club
Who Can Join: ORCA students of all ages
Club Goal: Create a production made and written by ORCA students.
Why Join:
Engage in the performing arts and theater while staying online.
Activities:
Audition for roles.
Help put on a play for the school.
Make friends during bi-weekly meetings.
Gamers ‘R’ Us
Who Can Join: All interested students in grades 6-12
Club Goal: To socialize, make friends, and enjoy games.
Why Join:
Play and celebrate your interest in board games, D&D, video games, and word games.
Activities:
D&D campaign.
Video game strategies.
Game design and artwork inspired by games.
Garden / Farm / Homesteaders Club
Who Can Join: All interested students in grades K-12
Club Goal: Embrace a healthier way of living through food, and share and learn more about backyard homesteading, animals, gardening, and plants.
Why Join:
Promotes knowledge of agriculture.
Connect with like-minded people interested in natural ways of living, preserving, and growing.
Activities:
Learn about agriculture, how plants grow, and livestock.
Cultivate valuable and ornamental plants.
Discuss homesteading topics like sourdough starters and bread making.
Coding Club
Who Can Join: All interested students in grades K-8
Club Goal: Increase opportunities to learn how to code using a variety of free platforms to improve programming skills and interact with others.
Why Join:
Learn more about coding using Python, JavaScript, and C++.
Share ideas for coding challenges.
Activities:
Learn to code using Python, Scratch, Blockly, JavaScript, etc.
Complete optional lessons on code.org.
Share projects, apps, and mobile games to beta-test and debug.
Mountain Biking Club
Who Can Join: Students who ride bikes for fun, race competitively, or just like to bike
Club Goal: Stay in contact with MTB riders in the ORCA community.
Why Join:
It is a great way to connect with people who have similar interests.
Activities:
Explore XC, Enduro, Gravity, Road, Gravel, Track, BMX, and more.
Participate in Kahoots, Padlets, Quizlets, and use a website to stay in touch.
MS Writing Club
Who Can Join: Grades 6-8
Club Goal: Provide a supportive community to share writing, brainstorm, and improve writing skills.
Why Join:
Have a supportive community to help you fix problems when you are stuck and celebrate your successes.
Activities:
Writing games and challenges.
Mini-lessons on different writing skills.
Share your writing, get feedback, and potentially enjoy field trips or guest speakers.
MS Yearbook
Who Can Join: Middle school students in grades 6-8
Club Goal: To produce a yearbook for middle school students by middle school students.
Why Join:
Be a part of the team that designs and creates the school's annual yearbook.
Activities:
Create the yearbook virtually through Zoom meetings.
Design pages using the Picaboo platform.
Music Club
Who Can Join: 8th grade students
Club Goal: Create and enjoy music in a culture of practice, kindness, appreciation, and improvement.
Why Join:
Instrumentalists, singers, songwriters, and producers of all skill levels are welcome.
Access SoundTrap to collaborate on songs.
Activities:
Performances and Showcases.
Mini-lessons on music theory and production.
Collaboration times.
Muslim Student Alliance
Who Can Join: All Muslim students and those interested in learning about the culture
Club Goal: Help Muslim students step outside their shell, realize they aren't alone, and bring out the diversity at ORCA.
Why Join:
Express your faith, feel safe, and find others who share your beliefs.
Activities:
Social events, virtual study circles, and game nights.
Reading from the Quran and sharing personal knowledge.
Guest speakers, volunteering, and interfaith dialogues.
National Junior Honor Society
Who Can Join: Interested students who complete the membership application
Club Goal: Give students the chance to practice leadership through service.
Why Join:
Commit yourself to Character, Scholarship, Leadership, and Service.
Activities:
Bi-weekly meetings for all members.
Weekly meetings for group officers.
Newspaper Club (The Current)
Who Can Join: High school and middle school students
Club Goal: Publish The Current, providing high-quality, unbiased journalism covering topics relevant to the ORCA community.
Why Join:
Become more connected with the ORCA community.
Increase skills in writing, editing, and digital literacy.
Activities:
Plan and edit the online school newspaper.
Write articles on provided or proposed topics.
Collaborate with student journalists.
ORCA Military Leadership & First Responders Club (MFRC)
Who Can Join: Grades 6–12
Club Goal: Provide a hands-on introduction to careers in the U.S. Military and Emergency Services without any recruitment pressure.
Why Join:
Build strength, purpose, and connection.
Grow as a leader and discover how you can serve your community.
Activities:
Explore military and first responder history.
Participate in physical and mental fitness challenges.
Community service projects and ASVAB prep.
ORCA NASA Club
Who Can Join: Grades K-12
Club Goal: Educate members about STEM careers and increase awareness of astronomy and space science.
Why Join:
Access YouthAstroNet and live streams from NASA facilities.
Read astrobiology graphic novels and use STEM enrichment materials.
Activities:
Attend monthly live-streamed 60-minute assemblies hosted by NASA staff.
Interact with like-minded NASA club members.
Photography and Film Club
Who Can Join: Grades 6–12
Club Goal: Discuss all things photography, share the story behind shots, and learn about gear and settings.
Why Join:
Explore fun Kahoots, photography trivia, and new monthly themes to inspire creativity.
Activities:
Participate in bi-weekly meetings.
Take photos based on monthly themes.
Share and discuss photography at any level.
Spanish Buddies
Who Can Join: All interested students
Club Goal: Practice speaking, reading, writing, and listening to Spanish, and learn about Spanish-speaking countries.
Why Join:
Satisfy your fascination with Hispanic culture.
Learn to communicate with family or friends and connect with peers.
Activities:
Breakout rooms and scenarios of conversation.
Vocabulary study, grammar, and geography.
Kahoots, Quizizz, and Spanish escape rooms.
Survival Skills/ Outdoors Club
Who Can Join: Interested students in grades 6-12
Club Goal: Stay safe outdoors while sharing experiences and learning survival skills together.
Why Join:
Enjoy the outdoors, whether you like to hike, bike, ski, etc.
Activities:
Learn what to pack and how to treat water on the trail.
Practice map reading and compass skills.
Learn about animals, plants, weather forecasts, and medical training.