By Jack Stringer

Are you in search of something fun to do after school? Do you like working out or are you a fan of anime?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you should join one of the new clubs here on the Farm. As second semester rolls around, two new clubs have gained prominence at Wheat Ridge High School and are providing new possibilities to pursue a passion or try something new.

One of the new organizations that has formed this year is the Weightlifting Club. Junior Kavi Carlson started the club with the mission to, “help people to get into physical shape.” The club meets after school on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday until 4 p.m. All are welcome at the Weightlifting club that has an open environment where people can go through any workout that they want to. The Weightlifting Club is a great place for “resolutioners” who are trying to exercise more in 2014, casual weightlifters and even the physical fitness fanatics. On a snowy Monday afternoon in January, around a dozen Farmers made it up to the weight room to take part in the club. Still in the early stages of its tenure at Wheat Ridge, Carlson is happy with the turnout but hopes to increase participation as the club progresses.

Another club that has formed this year is the Anime Club. Anime is slowly working its way into the mainstream consciousness of America, but for now it is still somewhat in the peripherals of our culture, and seen as simply “Japanese cartoons”. This is not the case; anime is a valid art form that features animated TV shows, movies and more, that are characterized by colorful graphics, vibrant characters, and fantastic themes.

Here at Wheat Ridge, the Anime Club provides students with an opportunity to discuss their favorite anime, plan get-togethers over the weekends, and a watch a variety of anime. After only a couple meetings, the club already has around 12 members, led by sophomore and founder Carolina Hernandez who says that she is also happy with the turnout so far. Hernandez started the club because she knew there are “a lot of people at this school who like anime” from her lunch-hour discussions with other students. These unofficial meetings were always abruptly cut short by the bell, so Hernandez created an official, and much more open ended forum for her and her fellow anime connoisseurs.  The Anime Club meets every other week, after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays in room 13.