Ayala’s annual Club Rush was held on Friday, September 5, which filled students’ lunch in the courtyard with music and sweet treats. Club Rush is a highly anticipated event at the beginning of each school year where students at Ayala are exposed to all the clubs Ayala has to offer. Club officers left their fourth period class early to set up their tables, posters, and even tents in the hopes to attract new members with the start of the new school year.
For the 2025 to 2026 school year, Ayala has an exciting mix of new and returning clubs that make a grand total of 96 official clubs. All clubs that participated in the event did so due to the efforts of the UCC representative, Dylan Rasmussen (11), who handles club affairs year round. The behind the scenes work of leadership is what ensures Club Rush runs without flaws.
“The past week, I’ve been kind of just organizing clubs into different categories, so it’s easy for organization,” Rasmussen said. “I’ve emailed administration and teachers, so [students] can be excused from class and set up.”
Last year, due to unforeseen excessive heat warnings, Club Rush was postponed for a week. The event this time saw no such problems and proved to be more engaging and successful than the previous.
“This year there were way more clubs than last year which is great because it allows more people to branch out into something that they are passionate about,” Sofia Argumaniz (10) said.
Club Rush is always known to host a wide variety of clubs; however, this year was truly extraordinary. The event showcased opportunities for students to explore volunteering, advocacy, art, culture, business, career, and religious clubs, just to name a few. The splendor of diversity in Ayala’s clubs highlights the unique students that constitute Ayala as well as their commitment to their passions.
Furthermore, many students create clubs to not only create a space for their ideas to flourish, but to better their future. The dedication and work that goes into creating and maintaining a club shows a good work ethic that students hope will help them get accepted into a good university.
“I think [creating a club] is a great way for college applications to see that you’re involved in school,” Rasmussen said.
Club Rush this year also highlighted a shift in marketing strategies in the past, with more creative approaches being used. Forgoing a normal sign-up sheet, students have begun giving out incentives and becoming reliant on social media to promote their club.
“We’re going to ask people to take pictures with our posters and we’re going to give out candy,” Maxwell Tsai (10), an officer of Purpose Center Athletes (PCA) club, said. “We’re just going to ask a lot of people to follow us on Instagram.”
This year it seems students went above and beyond past approaches to Club Rush, which succeeded in bringing in huge crowds crowding around booths. Whether giving out refreshments, blasting loud music, or handing out popsicles, clubs were triumphant in generating excitement and interest.
Club Rush has shown to be a beloved tradition for Ayala, and it seems it has grown with student’s passion and has become just as vibrant. This year’s remarkable turnout is a testament to just how talented and diverse Ayala’s student body is.
“My favorite thing about club rush is all of the different communities of the school coming together to make people feel like they belong to something beautiful,” Argumaniz said.
