Activities & Clubs

The United States Academic Decathlon®, the premier national scholastic competition for high school students, was created to provide opportunities for students to experience the challenges of rigorous team and individual academic competition. Each student competes in ten events: Art, Economics, Essay, Interview, Literature, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Science, and Speech. Students compose an essay based on a prompt whose central theme incorporates information relating to the current curriculum, "The American Revolution and the New Nation." This year’s selected literature is Wieland by Charles Brockden Brown. Students also perform a prepared speech and impromptu speech and participate in an interview before a panel of volunteer judges from the local community. The competition culminates with the exciting Super Quiz event.

Competing in the Academic Decathlon is not about demonstrating how good a student you already are. It’s about working on a team, mastering college-level material, and practicing skills, like public speaking, that might be wholly new to you. It’s about the people you’ll meet along the way—the coaches who will mentor you, the competitors who will challenge you, and the teammates who will become your lifelong friends. No other activity will better prepare you for university academic studies.

Advisor: Brian Timmons
Email: btimmons@bergenfield.org

The Anime & Animation club members will have the opportunity to explore, view, and discuss various Anime movies and characters. Group discussion will engage in group gaming competitions as well as design of individual action characters to create an anime manga (graphic novel). The club will generally meet on a Thursday after school in room 131.

Advisor: Katelyn King
Email: kking@bergenfield.org

Bear Facts is Bergenfield High School’s student run newspaper. It operates in conjunction with the Journalism I-IV classes. The main goal of Bear Facts is to cultivate the students into responsible journalists. The student newspaper reports, not only on the news and events in and around Bergenfield High School, but also on the important issues facing teenagers today. Students learn to write and edit news articles, research stories, conduct interviews, and layout and design the pages of the publication. Bear Facts gives students the opportunity to have an outlet for their writing.

Advisor: Anna Papageorgiou
Email: apapageorgiou@bergenfield.org

The goal of Book Club is to promote reading within our school and allow scholars to have a place that they feel is safe and welcoming along with encouraging them to meet new people with similar interests. Our club meets once a month after school in the library where we engage in discussions about our book of the month. We host activities for the club such as movie days, holiday book exchange, bake sales and community service. As a club we are also developing a Little Free Library Project to promote reading within the community.

Advisor: Charlene Taveras
Email: ctaveras@bergenfield.org

The botany club is for all plant lovers! Not only do indoor plants enhance the overall appearance of a space, but studies show they boost moods, increase creativity, reduce stress, and eliminate air pollutants—making for a healthier, happier you. Indoor plants don't just look good—they can make us feel good, too. This club is a student run club where you will "adopt" an indoor plant, learn about propagation (how you split plants into more to enjoy!), re-pot your plant day, make Earth Day seed bombs, and host a Mother's Day plant sale, all made from the cuttings you grow this year!

Advisor: Amber Hilburn
Email: ahilburn@bergenfield.org

Chess club is an after school activity for all grades set up in order to grant kids an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of chess, improve their play, and enjoy competition against fellow students. Beginners will be introduced to the basic rules spanning from piece values and movements all the way up to the beginner strategy, while more experienced players will be given the chance to either challenge one another in competitive play or learn different opening and defense strategies along with various tactics. While students will have the chance to challenge one another and gain wins and losses, the club’s main focus will be on encouraging sportsmanship, having fun, and improving critical thinking skills.

Advisor: Corey McGrath
Email: cmcgrath@bergenfield.org

The coding club gives students the opportunity to create interactive web pages or apps. They will learn the basics of HTML, the basics of CS, and the basics of JavaScript. Come learn what this club is about and look to see how coding can solve everyday problems! Our mission is to provide an opportunity for any student to learn about computer programming. Students will gain experience with coding and use computer science to build projects for fun or future foals.

Who can join? Anyone! We will encourage students who are not confident in computer science to add this skill to their resume by practicing in meetings and working in groups while allowing confident peers to develop leadership and cooperation skills.

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Culinary club provides a safe and educational environment for students to foster their cooking skills and challenge themselves to try new foods and techniques that they’ve never been introduced to before. The club meets every Thursday, alternating between the classroom where the students learn about taste and ingredients, and the kitchen, where they can practice techniques and approaches. Overall, the main goal for the culinary club is for members to walk away with a new skill set that can help them for the rest of their lives as well as to gain more of an understanding and appreciation for the world of culinary arts.

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DECA is an international student organization with the purpose of developing the next generation of business leaders. DECA stresses professionalism, mastery of business skills, and leadership. Students are able to gain and build confidence through opportunities to make presentations at DECA competitive events held at the regional, state, and national level. Our qualifications: any student who has been enrolled in a full year business course (previous or current) may join DECA. The membership window however closes on November 15th if students plan to compete at the Northern NJ Regional in January. DECA membership fees will be covered by the school.

Advisor: Mark Rehm
Email: mrehm@bergenfield.org

Do you want to act, perform, be on stage, or work behind the scenes?

Drama club takes place on Tuesday after school from 3:05-4:30 PM. Drama club activities include acting games, improvisation, field trips, showcase and revue creation and performance, Students will have opportunities to work on the "Haunted House" taking place in October or the showcase in early December. In the spring, the BHS Drama club will augment and support the school wide spring musical!

We got magic to do just for you
We got miracle plays to play
We got parts to perform
Hearts to warm
Kings and things to take by storm
As we go along our way

Advisor: Mary Kathryn Osborne
Email: mosborne@bergenfield.org

Dungeons and Dragons club is a fun and interactive club for those interested in the famous tabletop game. Students can join regardless of their skill level. Students play the game in order to embark on new journeys, take new routes, and level up in experience.

Advisor: Jessica Addolorato
Email: jaddolorato@bergenfield.org

The purpose of the French Club is to provide cultural enrichment outside of the classroom and to provide an environment for students to share an interest in French language and culture.

During club meetings, students plan activities, which include cooking French food, French culture games, Karaoke, crafts related to cultural French events, trips to French restaurants, watching French movies, and other social events. All these activities provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate leadership and learn about French culture.

The French Club meets during club meeting time, which occurs at the end of the school day once per month. In club meetings the officers and advisors lead the planning of activities and determine the dates for up-coming events.

Students plan and participate in approximately one activity per month in the afternoon or evening.

The members of the French Club may organize fundraiser activities to collect funds for specific activities and possible class trips, as determined by the club advisors and officers.

Advisor: Sandrine Kravitz
Email: skravitz@bergenfield.org

HOSA is a global student-led organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services and several federal and state agencies. HOSA’s mission is to empower HOSAFuture Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community, through education, collaboration, and experience. HOSA actively promotes career opportunities in the health industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. HOSA’s goal is to encourage all health science instructors and students to affiliate and be actively involved in the HSE-HOSA Partnership. HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary, middle school, adult, and collegiate students enrolled in health science education and biomedical science programs or have interests in pursuing careers in health professions. HOSA is 100% health care!

Advisor: Anthony Pucci
Email: apucci@bergenfield.org

The linguistics club is a community of students interested in and devoted to studying the principles of language. Members will explore the many aspects of languages and communication through different outlets such as puzzles, readings, group discussions, and documentaries. Generally, in every meeting, we tackle a question about linguistics. For example, we may explore the main functions of a language in one week and discuss the International Phonetic Alphabet in another. There are no qualifications to join the club, and we will meet every two weeks.

Advisor: Charlene Taveras
Email: ctaveras@bergenfield.org

Stories. Art. Photography. Poetry. Cinematography. The BHS Literary Arts Magazine is back in action for its 7th year as an online publication, and it’s going strong. Come to the table and take the opportunity to participate in helping to run the school’s most creative public outlet for every writer or artist who wishes to share their work with the world. Contribute your own beautifully crafted pieces and review submissions from others to publish in the online magazine. All are welcome to join our weekly meetings after school on Thursdays in room 102. The more, the merrier!

Advisor: Kate Holzlein
Email: kholzlein@bergenfield.org

Model UN is an authentic simulation of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, UN Security Council, or other UN body, which catapults students into the world of diplomacy and negotiation. Students will practice research, public speaking and debate skills, all while role-playing and representing a real country.

Model UN is part of a larger globally-competitive student organization that explores pressing political issues and creates solutions through diplomatic simulations of the United Nations. Students play the roles of diplomats representing various countries from around the world, and visit other schools to compete with other Model UN teams. Bergenfield’s team builds global consciousness, sharpens academic skills, and improves student self esteem and confidence. Our award-winning program is well respected and attracts only the most passionate, committed, and skilled students that seek challenge, academic competition and social change.

Advisor: Maura Boeri
Email: mboeri@bergenfield.org

All juniors and seniors with a weighted cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better as of the end of their sophomore or junior years are invited by formal notification to apply to the National Honor Society.

The four basic requirements for membership are as follows: scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

1. Scholarship: requires that the student have a weighted grade point average of 3.5 or better as of the end of the proceeding school year.
2. Leadership: requires that the student has been selected or recognized by his or her teachers or peers to assume responsibilities of leadership in the classroom or extracurricular activities. Leadership may be demonstrated by holding a club or team office or by consistently setting good examples through positive actions and attitudes.
3. Service: requires that the student has or is currently participating or enrolled to participate in extracurricular activities which in some way perform a service to the school. Service also requires that the student has or is in some way participating in an extra-scholastic activity that provides service to the community or family.
4. Character: requires that the student constantly exemplifies desirable qualities of personality: (cheerfulness, friendliness, poise, stability, etc.); shows respect for fellow students and faculty, observes instructions and rules, demonstrates the highest standards of honesty.

Advisor: Jennifer Brunet
Email: jbrunet@bergenfield.org

Quiz bowl is an academic trivia competition that takes place in tournaments around the country. Teams of four or five students each compete to answer questions by responding with a buzzer system faster than the other team. Subjects range from art and music history, to math and science. Competitions take place at various schools around the region, primarily on Saturdays. We also will be creating a number of themed in house tournaments. Our practice mostly focuses on building response confidence and buzzer timing- it is difficult to prepare on content when you literally could get any question on anything, although we do prepare some packets of information that show up regularly at tournaments. We also do a lot of trivia questions just for fun. We’ve won a few trophies recently, and we are looking forward to another great year.

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This is your chance to join a highly creative and exciting new endeavor. Our mission is to work together with Student Congress, The Honor Societies, The Interact Club, THRIVE, and SAPHIRE clubs! We are planning exciting activities to promote a more inclusive and positive school climate. We are looking for the most enthusiastic and dedicated students at Bergenfield High school. Our approach is unique and we want committed students. ALL grades are welcome!

RISE members have the opportunity to participate in:

• Suicide awareness
• Week of respect
• Spirit Week
• Red Ribbon week
• Bully Proof BHS Day
• Speaking at assemblies
• School violence awareness
• 3 on 3 Basketball tournament
• Distributing literature, performing skits
• Student section at Football and Basketball games
• RISE video

We raise awareness by fundraising for:

• Shelter our sisters
• Bergenfield families
• Snowflakes for Social Services of Bergenfield
• The Powder Puff football game - proceeds go to a child in medical need

We present to the Elementary Schools about issues pertaining to Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying, and teaching students the difference between HIB and Conflict. “Be a Leader Not a Bystander.”

Advisor: Milleni Basumatary
Email: mbasumatary@bergenfield.org

This club goes to Mt. Creek to ski and snowboard. It’s for beginners, intermediates, and experts. Beginners will be able to learn to ski or snowboard! A school bus will take everyone to Mt. Creek for a total of four trips. The bus leaves after school at 3:30 pm and returns to school around 9:00 pm. Prizes are given out on each bus trip to Mt. Creek, including free lift tickets, free food, etc. In addition, students will save 50% on EVERYTHING for being a member of this club!

Advisor: Michael Papapetrou
Email: mpapapetrou@bergenfield.org

Members of THRIVE will strive to empower, push forward, educate and enhance the potential that young women have at Bergenfield High School. Through education, fundraising, advocacy and service, THRIVE members develop the leadership skills necessary to make a positive difference in the lives of young women everywhere. The THRIVE goal is to bring forth knowledge and empowerment young women can use in today’s society. All new members are welcome!

Advisor: Milenni Basumatary
Email: mbasumatary@bergenfield.org

The TV club will meet once a week after school. Students can use this time to work on previous TV projects, create new projects, and promote the school through Channel 77. New students will learn programs such as Final Cut Pro and Photoshop. They will also learn the production positions for running a high school studio TV above.

Advisor: Joseph Lapi
Email: jlapi@bergenfield.org

The Crossroads Yearbook staff, consisting of student editors, photographers, writers, and salespeople, work tirelessly to gather and assemble content that chronicles the Bergenfield High School experience. Our goal is to commemorate and recognize, through words and photographs, the academic, athletic, artistic, and extracurricular achievements of the student body, and the moments that make every school unique.

Advisor: Norman Dapito
Email: ndapito@bergenfield.org