On the evening of January 18, the commons of Fossil Ridge High School were packed with incoming freshman floating from table to table, listening to current students pitch classes, clubs, and sports that have shaped who they are at Fossil. Just about everyone is involved in something in high school, and the students at Fossil are no different. These young people are beyond passionate about their extra curriculars, a testament to the quality of those programs at the school.

There are hundreds of groups in school that are like mini families, and no person outside of the group can understand the bond that they have. Students don’t just spend time sitting in classes, they’re out shooting hoops together or painting or building robots; things that keep them engaged and social. Events like the curriculum fair give students the opportunity to share their passions with their peers.  

Here are what fossil students have to say about what they’re involved in and passionate about:

Kenady Adams, Soccer “Soccer is life. Soccer is actually life. I don’t know what I’d do without it. I feel like if I didn’t play soccer then I wouldn’t be the person that I am today.”

Gracie Finnegan, Science Olympiad “It’s fun and you learn a lot and you get to spend time with friends. You meet a lot of people and it’s nice to be involved.”

Tano Orozco, Art Club “Because art club has made a really big impact on me and it feels to me like I owe it to the teachers to represent them.”

Jack Brayden, Ridgebotics “I work on the programming aspect of it and I feel like that embodies a lot of it. I really like building stuff and seeing a robot come together over time and how everything works. It’s definitely helped me become more social and develop leadership skills.’

Riley Zuhn, Volleyball “Since I have two more years left to play, I want to take on more leadership roles. I’ve been playing for so long it’s kind of become who I am and shaped who I am today.”

Tessa Beaty, Fashion Club “I would just really like this to do well and I’m really excited that it’s been taking off and getting representation. I dedicate a lot of hours and everyone in the club works so hard. Even though it’s new this year I definitely feel like it’s a part of my identity.”

Noah Waters, Baseball “I enjoy representing my team and our new culture. I’ve been playing baseball since I could walk and life without it is not life at all. I’ve gotten closer with a lot of people and I’ve met a lot of underclassmen.”

Maddie Gruff, Student Council “Student council has been my family for four years, and it’s been just a great experience. As a senior I have a chance to mentor others and get my own leadership experience. Seeing the events progress year by year has been great.”

Dillon Dannettell, Ride TV “TV is a lot of what I do in school. It’s something I’m very passionate about. It means family, we all work together and we’re very close.”

Shaye Gomolak and Brooke Bodnar, Cheer “Cheer means a lot. It’s pretty much our whole life. Our team is like a family, we’re with them 24/7 and we get annoyed with them like a family does, but we still love them.”

Kylie Maple, Field Hockey “It’s building a friendship with a bunch of different people and just having something to do outside of school. It helped me open and explore who I am today.”

Lily Brown, Book Club “It’s kind of an escape from the madness of high school and you just get to relax and talk about books with like minded people and it’s a lot of fun. I’m not very much involved with anything else. I’ve poured myself into this.”

Katherine Laine, DECA “We’re kind of like a family. We’re so close knit and we have so many things that happen and go on. You spend a lot of time with the same people. It’s brought a new view on the school and I have people I can rely on.”

Megan Bean, Drama “I love it so much. I think it’s definitely shaped my identity. I’ve learned a lot of skills that I think I’ll be able to use no matter where I go career wise. I’ve met some of my best friends. To me, it means family and support so even when things like cast lists come out, we’re all there for each other.”
If you get nothing else out of this article, get that you need to be involved.The support and friendships gained are worth any time commitment.