Sage Hill offers over 90 clubs, including traditional academic teams such as Model United Nations, Speech and Debate and Robotics, and a variety of other student-led clubs, such as Dungeons and Dragons, Muslim Students Association, and Women in Engineering.
“There’s a club for everyone at Sage,” freshman Jasper Kim said.
Clubs and other activities contribute to the well-roundedness of the school, creating a campus where students are free to explore and pursue their passions and interests, said Lauren Popkowski, associate director of college counseling.
However, clubs and other activities sometimes conflict with Sage Hill’s rigorous academic workload and tradition as a top-tier educational institution. An overloaded schedule can leave students with little time to complete homework, write papers and study for tests, said students interviewed by The Bolt.
Senior Brady Bai’s list of activities includes Cross Country, Origami Club and AMPA initiative.
“I… sacrifice sleep to balance schoolwork and my activities,” he said.
Sophomore Zack Longo, who recently broke Sage Hill’s 18-year-old record for cross country times, echoed this concern, remarking, “I spend at least two hours a day on Cross Country,” in addition to other activities such as Youth Engineers Initiative and Robotics Club. These long hours leave him with little time for schoolwork and rest.
Adding to the motivation to participate in clubs is the importance of extracurricular activities to the college admissions process. In a December 2024 cover story entitled “How the Ivy League Broke America,” The
Atlantic bemoaned America’s competitive college admissions process, which encourages parents to ferry their kids from one supervised skill-building, resume-enhancing activity to another, driven by the hope of getting their children into selective universities.
“From a college admissions perspective,” Bai said, “the GPA gets you past the initial review, but extracurriculars show who you are as a person.”
Sage Hill students are aware of this pain point, but they are still driven by genuine interest in the clubs and other activities they join. Many students admitted to prioritizing their extracurriculars over schoolwork, not just for college resumes, but for passion.
“It is fun when kids are passionate about something, share their passion, and want to grow in different ways,” Dean of School Life Dominic Campeau said. “Students who do not have passion for their extracurriculars usually burn out and quit.”
Students also shared that clubs and other activities provide opportunities to meet new friends and interact with classmates outside of the classroom.
“I have made many close personal connections through my clubs, especially Anime Club, which I founded,” Junior Fiona Fei said.
Many students affirmed that the clubs and activities in which they participate played a major role in shaping their identities as individuals.
“Students become leaders through their passion,” Campeau said.
By pursuing their passions for clubs and other activities amid the demands of school and college applications, students shape the vibrant culture that defines Sage Hill.
