J. Frank Dobie Jr. High students danced, exercised,  Namasted, talked about their feelings, covered stories as journalists, created art and more during the first Cougar Connection Fridays  on Friday, September 28. “In my club, we talked about life,” said Tavia Gaston, 7th grader.

Club Connection Fridays, a program organized by Dobie’s leadership team and administrators, focuses on building relationships and supporting all give of the Schertz-Cibolo Universal City ISD’s Traits of a Graduate: Dynamic Leader, Self-Motivated, Skilled Communicator, Service-Oriented and Future Ready.

Some of the groups will help keep Dobie clean. Other groups will focus on communicating or honing skills such as playing an instrument or learning about Robotics. Many groups seem like they are all about movement and fun, but all students are still connecting, communicating and learning.

Assistant Principal Mr. Jackson said he thinks that the importance of Connection Fridays is so the students can have a little fun.”Big part of school is getting to know your teachers and your teachers getting to know you,” he said, adding that he thinks that Connection Fridays are a good thing because students can relax a little and have fun. “Our hope is that students and teachers connect on a deeper level,” Jackson said.

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The program ensures that all students are involved with a club during Cougar Time on Fridays. Earlier in the month, students submitted their first five choices for clubs from a list of 56 clubs that range from card games, yoga, indoor walking club, homework club, journalism club, dance club, cleanup crew, puzzle club, STEM Club, PRIDE club, Thespian club, UIL, trivia club, Talk it Out Club and more. The clubs that students were placed in are based on space availability.

Students, teachers and staff are excited about the new clubs and their potential to make Friday even more fun and engaging. Sylvia Makori, 8th grader, said she went to the Card Games Club. “I liked it because you get to talk to your friends and play cards.”

Valentino Sanchez, 8th grader, said he went to Exercise Club. “We talked about the exercises we want to do,” he said. “My exercises that I want to do are cardio and workouts.”

Isaac Mokrane, 8th grader and student council member, said he joined the Student Council Club and that they took the opportunity to get organized for the year. Paul Hodo, 8th grader, said he enjoyed the PRIDE Club. “I made a lot of new friends,” he said. “It was pretty fun!”

Amour Wetz, 7th Grade English/Language Arts teacher and Gifted & Talented Coordinator, said she is grateful for the opportunity to welcome students, some whom she is meeting for the first time, to her club. “I love that we have the opportunity to try some new things at school! Cougar Connection Fridays gives everyone a chance to take a break from the norm, be with people they enjoy, and maybe even try something new,” said Wetz, who is a co-teaching the PRIDE club. “I love that my group gives everyone a chance to be valued for who they are.”