Clubs & Activities: Draper Middle School

How to Join

Extracurricular activities are a great way for kids to meet new friends, learn new things or give something back to their community. Best of all, studies show that students who are involved in after-school activities earn higher grades and are more successful – both academically
and socially. Details about meeting dates and times are generally provided over the morning announcements and via notices posted around the school. Parents and students should also feel free to contact their guidance counselor or club advisor for more information.

Clubs/Activities Offered

Astronomy Club

An “out of this world” opportunity for students (and their parents!) to observe and better understanding the universe we live in by making use of Draper’s in-house observatory and telescope. This club will meet one to three evenings each month (weather permitting) and will feature a short lesson on a particular subject in astronomy, followed by hands-on use of the telescope. The club will focus on giving students the chance to learn and practice science as it is really practiced. Topics will include telescope basics, lunar observing, stellar evolution and the planets of our solar system. Students are required to be chaperoned by an adult at each meeting. Meeting dates and times will be announced in advance.

Athletics

All students at the middle school (grades six through eight) are encouraged to take part in intramural athletics that are offered throughout the school year. They are designed to appeal to students of all abilities and diverse interests. There are also “friendship league” teams in swimming (USA Swimming Team Club), cross country and volleyball that are open to ­students in grades 6-8.

Students in grades 7 and 8 may also compete at the interscholastic level on modified teams in football, wrestling, ­baseball, soccer, basketball and swimming. Exceptional athletes in grades seven and eight may try out for a high school interscholastic team, but they need to pass a fairly rigorous test of ability in order to qualify to play at the high school level. Questions? Contact the Athletic Director at 356-8270 or visit the athletics webpage.

Cheerleading (freshmen)

Eighth-grade students are eligible to TRY OUT for the cheer­leading squad for the fall and/or winter seasons. Students who make the squad attend practices and cheer for the modified football team (fall) and the boys’ freshman basketball team (winter). Tryouts are in late August. Skills learned include jumping, building, tumbling and dancing.

Color Guard

Mohonasen’s Color Guard is open to students in grades 8-12. The Guard accompanies the Marching Band at competitive field shows and parades. Guard members add a lot of pizzazz to the band by flashing and twirling batons, flags and rifles and dancing while the band performs. Members also compete against other color guards in New York State and beyond.

Students have the option of participating in the Indoor Guard during the winter months. It is also possible for instrumental students to participate in Color Guard. Students are usually asked to attend meetings before the school year is over and are expected to attend practices beginning in July and participate in Band Camp, held the last two weeks of August.

Draper Theater Workshop

Get involved in a school play – center stage or behind the scenes. Mohon Masque’s big spring musical involves students in elementary grades through high school. Tryouts and rehearsals are announced at least a week in advance to give students time to prepare. Even if acting, singing and dancing aren’t for you, there are many other ways to get involved in the plays. Stage crew, set building, costumes, fund-raising and lighting are just a few of the behind-the-scenes opportunities for students.

Dance Club

Come learn to dance!

History Club

Take exciting field trips (like recent visits to Gettysburgh, PA and Baltimore, MD) while expanding your understanding of history. Students watch historical movies, visit local museums, host guest lecturers and have lots of fun. Open to middle school students in grades 7-8.

Library Book Club

The Draper Library Book Club is devoted to connecting students to books in an ongoing effort to create lifelong readers. Members meet on a weekly basis to discuss various books that are selected as a group. In addition to weekly book discussions and other activities that promote reading, members also attend field trips, as well as participate in community and school events. All students are welcome to attend. All that is required is an appetite for reading. Meetings take place every Friday after school in the Library Media Center.

Mohon Masque Jr.

Students from grades 6-8 are invited to participate in Mohon Masque Jr. One major production a year will be produced in January along with smaller events through the year. Tryouts and rehearsals are announced at least a week in advance to give students time to prepare. Beyond acting and singing, students can get involved behind-the-scenes as stage crew members. Parents are also encouraged to get involved and continue to provide invaluable support to this important program.

Musical Performing Groups

• Band
• Choir
• Orchestra

Band, choir and orchestra members practice regularly with their group during advisory periods. Each group performs at the winter and spring concerts, two school assemblies, annual school budget vote, Strawberry Festival and other special events that may vary from one year to the next. Serious students are also encouraged to prepare music and play for the New York State School Music Association Music Festival held each spring.

National Junior Honor Society

For 7th and 8th graders who meet requirements: i.e. academic average, prior community service, etc.

Odyssey of the Mind

Creative problem solving comes from teamwork, cooperation and risk-taking. That’s the principle behind Odyssey of the Mind, an international problem-solving competition that is both fun and challenging. Students team up to work on one of several open-ended problems that the international OM organization poses each year. For example, one problem may require students to build a structure that meets specific guidelines. Another problem may require a theatrical solution that is written and performed by students. There is a regional competition each spring and, depending on how students score, they may proceed to the state level or beyond. Each team has its own volunteer coaches. (Parents are always needed to fill this important role!)

Click here to read more about Odyssey of the Mind at Mohonasen Central School District.

Peers for Peace

Peers for Peace is offered at both the middle school and high school. The goal of this student group is to raise awareness about human rights and increase tolerance and respect for diversity within the school and community.

Rocket Club

Students build and launch rockets from a kit.

School Yearbook

Students in grades six through eight are encouraged to contribute to the many aspects of creating a lasting record of their middle school years. Yearbook staffers structure layouts, take pictures, write captions, and document special events that take place throughout the school year. If you’re responsible, good at managing your time, hard-working and dedicated to producing a yearbook that reflects middle school life – then this is the club for you!

Science Club

Students in science club participate in a variety of activities: making slime, doing weird science experiments, watching science-themed movies, collecting pond water, performing water studies, and other fun crafts and activities. This club will allow students to explore different aspects of science while having lots of fun. This club is open to students in grades 6-8. Meeting dates will be announced in advance.

Ski and Snowboard Club

Take to the slopes at various mountains in the northeast from January to March. Lessons and rentals available. Round-trip transportation is included. Open to students in grades 6-12 on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a fee of approximately $225 to cover the cost of lift tickets and transportation.

Student Council

Student Council membership provides an avenue for students to discuss ways to improve their school and have a voice in school operations. Two student representatives from each homeroom (grades 6-8) are chosen annually; these students must maintain a grade average of at least 80. Each September the eighth-grade class elects a slate of officers. Student Council Officers are required to maintain a minimum grade average of 85. Meetings are held approximately twice a month.

The Student Council sponsors several dances each year and helps organize the eighth-grade farewell dance. Other activities include an annual flower sale, various service projects and fund-raisers that help support student field trips at all grade levels. This is a great way for students to get leadership experience while having a positive impact on their school.

Technology Club

This club takes what students are learning in technology class to the next level. Projects include robotics demonstrations, hydroponic gardens and mouse-trap powered vehicles.

The Warrior Way School Newspaper

Draper Middle School’s student newspaper, The Warrior Way, is published three to four times each year. Students in grades six through eight are encouraged to get involved in one or more of the various aspects of producing a newspaper. These include reporting, editing, layout, artwork and photography.

Music & Theater

Middle School Music Program

General music instruction continues every year in grades six thru eight at Draper Middle School. All students also have the experience of making music as they learn about it thanks to the school’s high-tech electronic piano lab/Yamaha Program. Performing groups at the middle school include choir, band, jazz band and orchestra. Serious students are encouraged to prepare music and play for the NYSSMA Music Festival each spring. Draper’s orchestra, band and choir perform at the winter and spring concert, the annual school budget vote, and the Strawberry Festival. Students also perform for their peers at two student assemblies during the year.

Theatre Programs

Students from grades 4-12 are invited to participate in Mohonasen’s theatre group: Mohon Masque. Two major productions are generally staged each year, one in the late fall/early winter along with a major musical in the spring. Mohon Masque has earned a reputation for putting on outstanding performances that play to packed houses year after year.

Tryouts and rehearsals are announced at least a week in advance to give students time to prepare. Beyond acting and singing, students can get involved in many other ways. Directing, stage crew, set building, costumes, fundraising and lighting are just a few of the behind-the-scenes opportunities for students. Parents are also encouraged to get involved and continue to provide invaluable support to this important program.

Summer theatre courses are also offered at Mohonasen, for elementary, middle and high school students, alike.

In their senior year, Mohonasen High School students may also take two elective courses in theatre which count toward their English requirements for graduation. Primarily directed toward performance, the course provides training in special skills related to theatre performance and production. Students study the means of creating and producing drama as they engage in individual and group theatrical and theatre-related tasks. Theatre I covers stage direction, voice and diction, stage movement, character, analysis and fundamentals of play production. Theatre II continues skill development in these areas while delving more deeply into aspects of play production such as setting, lighting, costuming and makeup.

STEM Program

The Mohonasen STEM Program offers after-school and evening enrichment opportunities for students in grades K-8. Courses and programs are engaging and hands-on, focusing on preparing students at a young age for possible careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Contact the district’s curriculum office at (518) 356-8205.

Odyssey of the Mind

Odyssey of the Mind (OM™) teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. Imagine being faced with a problem that requires an original solution. It can be frightening. Now imagine not being afraid to solve that problem – that is what OM members learn. This skill and self-confidence will carry over to all areas of their lives. OM brings the classroom to life as students apply what they learn and combine it with their interests and passions to solve our unique open-ended problems. OM also emphasizes teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking, and so much more. This international program is designed to help students at all learning levels grow as individual learners, grow as team members, and to reach their full potential.

Click here to read more about Odyssey of the Mind at Mohonasen Central School District.

Serving students in grades 6-8
School Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 2:10 p.m.