(Photo courtesy kidsoutandabout.com)

 

By Katie Servas – Editor-in-Chief

The Gaming Club is drifting its way into Jonathan Law yet again.

The Jonathan Law Gaming Cub has been revived for another year. The group has hosted multiple meetings with fluctuating amounts of new members. 

“We created the Gaming Club in order to have a fun and safe environment for people to meet new friends that share a common interest,” senior club vice president Jacob Swenning said. “There was a Video Game Club three years ago at Law that we seniors were a part of during our freshman year but we wanted to continue the club and take it to the next level.”

Typically, one of the members will provide snacks during the meetings as well as multiple games and gaming systems to appeal to all those who come to play. 

“Right now, leadership decides what game would be played at the next meeting, making sure to have some variety so it doesn’t become the “insert game title here” club and so it feels refreshing,” senior club president Matt McKlosky said. “So far, we’ve played ‘Super Smash Bros Ultimate,’ ‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,’ and soon-to-be ‘Nintendo Switch Sports’ at the next meeting (totally not a plug).”

In Room 199A, two television sets are hooked up to different gaming consoles to grant members the opportunity to play other games and include more people. To maintain organization, the group has created a spreadsheet to quickly sign up to bring in a console to meetings and allow more game options.

“As of now, we decide on games by randomly selecting a game we have and announcing it at the end of each meeting,” senior Kim Padilla said. “In the future, we might vote on what games to play or have a game rotation schedule soon, but we’re still planning things out.”

The club used to have many members who would spend an hour or so after school and play video games with others with the same interests. The club was a comfortable and relaxing place for students to meet under and upperclassmen through a common hobby. 

“We really missed having a place to chill out, relax, and play games with each other and decided to start it up again so people will have a place to relax and decompress after school,” McKlosky said. “With the help of Jacob, Deven, Kim, and Rob, we asked Mrs. Mercaldi if she would want to be the advisor, and she said she would love to do it.”

When locating an advisor, the group knew they wanted to reach out to science teacher Mrs. Mercaldi. 

“I was the advisor for the Dance Dance Revolution club here at Law in the early 2000s and have always thought gaming was a great adventure and a wonderful way to relax and made me more social and has helped me find friends who enjoy gaming as well,” Mercaldi said. “When Matt, Jacob, Kim, Deven, and Robert asked me to be the advisor I couldn’t have been more delighted.”

The club meets from 2-3 p.m. every Tuesday in Room 199A and the Google Classroom code is b5wxjyx.