Windsock

The Club That Tastes Good

This year, for the first time ever, pie making will serve as a club option. Together, seniors Ellie Fisher and Laura Anderson planned to bring about the formation of the Pie Making Club, an idea that was very successful. Mrs. LuAnn Bender agreed to sponsor them in their pursuit of making pies. In chapel, the club commissioner announced that the club would be open to anyone and that it would meet once a month.

Interest in the Pie Club was enormous. The number of people who originally signed up surpassed even that of the LARPing Club. Their numbers were so large that a Middle School Pie Club emerged to make room for everyone involved.

When the first meeting came around ten to fifteen people went to make pies, which was only a fraction of those who had signed up. They made key lime pie as one of their first projects. They then went on and made their own peanut butter pie recipes. According to senior Josh Kanagy, the first meeting seemed entirely successful. Hopefully, many pies will flow from the skilled culinary experts into the mouths of the anticipating student body.

- Freeman Bendfelt

Strat-O-Matic: Club or Cult?

Four people are gathered around the glowing screen, staring intently. On the wall, a poster displays symbols that are incomprehensible to the unenlightened. These boys are playing baseball, but not in the traditional sense. They are managing fictitious teams in the baseball Strat-O-Matic computer game, as members of the club of the same name.

Strat-O-Matic baseball is a virtual interface for Fantasy Baseball, where members pick real life players and place them into imaginary teams, which they run themselves. Due to the complex and sometimes frustrating nature of the game, the membership is fairly small, but dedicated. This is not a club you join for kicks. On any given day, you can visit Mr. Leonard's classroom and see at least two people sitting in front of a laptop, playing the game.

The level of commitment to this club is fairly extraordinary, considering the level of commitment found in other clubs. This level of commitment led to Mrs. Johnson's "cult" comment, which she could observe first-hand because Mr. Leonard's room is just across the hall. Interestingly enough, by one of the definitions of "cult" (a great devotion to something), the Strat-O-Matic club is, technically, a cult.

This is not a religion, but it is definitely an obsession. This is a game that can transcend hobby, a game that the players can really become attached to. When they play, they sometimes deride their virtual players, or cheer them on. (Stefan can be heard yelling "Hobo!" from time to time.) There are inside jokes specific to the club. Of all the clubs at EMHS, this is one that comes closest to what an actual club is: a group of people who have mutual interests that tightly bind them together. If that is considered a cult at this school, then sign me up.

- Joe Phillips

LARPing Club Enters the Fray

                                     Freeman takes a whack at Ashton

The normal repertoire of EMHS clubs has been augmented this year with rather unique addition: LARPing club. While technically encompassing a variety of activities, LARPing at EMHS consists of friendly sparring with foam equipment. The roots of the club go back to last winter, when a handful of Nerds were inspired to create a group. While they received support among last year's seniors and a handful of other recruits in the spring, LARPing (Live Action Role-Playing) has truly only begun to blossom this year.

The first several meetings have included at minimum ten people, at maximum about twenty, with nearly thirty people signing up for the club. Interest has especially developed among sophomores, but has also engaged in all high-school grades. While potential exists for a conflict with the pacifistic ideology of the Mennonite Church, this has not become a problem, with a general perception among parents that is harmless fun, and with more than half the original members and many of the new ones Mennonite. While some of the members affectionately refer to the meetings as "violence," the team oriented and friendly environment ensures that competitive spirit and aggression are harnessed only for good sport.

The reception among interested persons has been good thus far. While any group can lose its support base, many repeat members have consistently demonstrated interest, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive in water break and post-meeting conversation. Considering the retention and continued interest of the original members (to quote Freeman Bendfeldt: "[LARPing] will be awesome today!") the club shows considerable promise for the future. Potential for a team-like participation in a several hundred person meeting, while not yet explored, should also present an interesting opportunity should the club continue its growth and success.

- David Jost (photo by Matt Layman)