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Lyons Township High School students had the opportunity Wednesday to join clubs, sports and other activities and to find out more about what these clubs have to offer.

LT offers more than 100 clubs, and booths at the event represented activities and 78 clubs and teams. There were also sign up sheets available for clubs not represented including the new Competitive Cheerleading squad, Board Games Club and Ultimate Frisbee.

Clubs offered include sports based activities, foreign language, math, science, music and cultural. Elizabeth Watkins runs the Black and Multi-Culture Club, which she describes as “a study of African and black culture” through service projects, planning the bi-annual Black History Month assembly, blues and jazz nights and more activities.

Service clubs such as Project Assist give back to the community by selecting charities and holding fundraising events. In the past, the group held penny wars, an effort to raise change for children’s cancer, and this year they will hold a Smudge Out Cancer fundraiser. Seniors Anna Geraghty and Grace Siegelman post fliers and use word of mouth to get other students to join their projects.

The Gems Club is a newer opportunity for girls who enjoy engineering, math and science. Senior Lexie Karkazis says she joined “because I hope to be an engineer and enjoy all aspects of science.”

Clubs that are involved with the creative arts include The Improvisation of Geniuses Club. Students Kevin Garcia 17, and P.J. Kurtzner 17, say the idea is to “get together to make people laugh.” Famous members of the “Geniuses” clubs include comedians Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Jim Carrey and Conan O’Brien.

Those with an idea for a great song can join The Songwriters Club. Anyone can join regardless of whether they play an instrument, or even if they can’t sing. The club is entirely student run and encourages students to put words and music down on paper, and some of the members perform the songs at churches and other venues.

The high school also offers more than 25 inter-scholastic sports clubs, encompassing archery, water polo, rock climbing and tennis. A popular booth was for Special Olympics Basketball and Best Buddies, where students sign up to help coach students with special needs or disabilities. Other popular booths were those for the LTTV Cable TV station and LT Radio.

Some students came to the event to sign up for one specific activity, but others came to try out different clubs where they might get to know people and learn new things.

Brianna Griffin, 14, says she signed up for Gymnastics, Snowballs, and Photography to try out a few new activities during her freshman year. Freshman Alonzo Flowers, 14, says he wants to sign up for “anything and everything related to math and science.”

The LT Boosters were on hand selling LT clothing and gear of all types, with the benefits providing support to academic, sports and activity programs at the high school.

Diane Dachota is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.