The star fountain flows in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by poster boards and students. Ninth grader Makenzie Hilton said she loved the energy that filled the courtyard throughout the lunch period. “[My favorite part of the day] was the vibe of Archer, I just love how it’s so open and welcoming. There’s always music playing,” Hilton said. “I just think it’s super fun.”

Sophia Lurie (’28) poses in front of her poster for the American Sign Language Club. Lurie runs the club with fellow ninth grader Shayda Johnson. The club is dedicated to learning and teaching American Sign Language. “I’ve always wondered, in the back of my mind, what it’s like to know a sign language, and when I talked to Shayda about it, she was equally as passionate,” Lurie said. “So we really wanted to turn it into something that we could bond with other people over.”

Sloane Fitzgibbon (‘27) signs up for the Trader Joe’s Club. Senior Annie Altemus said she started the club with her friends in ninth grade. “We all love Trader Joe’s — the snacks — and just the environment of it,” Altemus said. “I think my favorite part is seeing how many people love it, with all the products.”

Students mingle around the courtyard, eating lunch and joining clubs. Edie Wyles (‘27) said, in addition to signing up for clubs, she ran a booth for Art for the Ages. Members of this club volunteer at senior homes, teaching them art. “From the youngest to oldest [generations], there is such a distance between them.” Wyles said. “Seeing people sign up for my club, just shows how people actually do care about the older generation, and it was really heartwarming.”

Abortion Rights Club leaders Maya Hernandez (‘27) and Alex Bridwell (‘27) pose next to their poster. The club aims to spread awareness about abortion rights, and how students can fight for them. Junior Vivianne Arnold, an executive board member of the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA), talked about the importance of clubs that allow people to share their beliefs and perspectives. “Something fun about being a club leader is you’re finally able to give back to a community that helps you through so much,” Arnold said. “You can also help people learn more about something that maybe they know less about.”

Ninth graders Bonnie van Hoytema, Zoë Stewart and Samara Gottlieb hold up their poster for Harry Potter Club. For Fox Owen (‘31), this year’s Club Fair was her first. “[The Club Fair] is really good because it gives you a chance to do something new, and something you might not have done before,” Owen said. “You can connect with people that are similar to you.”

Zoe Eyraud (‘28) signs up for Folded With Love, a club dedicated to origami. Johnson, co-leader of the ASL Club, said that seeing people’s excitement when joining various clubs was a highlight of the event. “[There are] so many people everywhere, and everyone’s so enthusiastic about signing up,” Johnson said. “I think it’s just so cute.”

Tessa Richdale (‘25) stands next to her poster for LevelUP LA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping support under-resourced schools in the Los Angeles area. “It’s really fun to get to talk to all the other students, share our message and what we’re trying to do,” Richdale said.

Tenth grader Charlotte Titmarsh smiles while speaking to students about the Archer Culinary Club. Owen was one of many students to join. She said she hopes her involvement with the club will help her improve her cooking skills. “I like to bake, but I’m not very good at it,” Owen said. “I was inspired to join the Culinary Club, so that I can get better.”

A student looks at the poster for GSA, while a leader speaks to them about the affinity group. Arnold said she hoped the club would serve as a place where members would feel safe and accepted. “We have more people signing up this year than ever before, which is really nice,” Arnold said. “I hope everyone will just talk to each other, learn about different perspectives and feel like they have a safe space, where they can express themselves however they choose, because that’s our goal.”