As students picked from a long list of clubs to participate in for our first Friday advisory schedule, a new club stood out from all the rest. Students crowded around the door for a seat, making a line that extended down the hallway.  

Books and Baking, created by sophomores Claudia Jacobsen and Sylvie Patrick, didn’t expect that their club would have so many participants at their first ever meeting. 

“We figured we’d be pretty unpopular,” Claudia shared. “Even though we had five full sheets of sign-ups from the club fair, we didn’t expect everybody to show up.”  

Claudia and Sylvie’s idea started when they realized they wanted a quiet space at school to read, recognizing that many high school language or literature classes don’t give free time to read for fun. They wanted to offer a quiet space where students can do just that, while also incorporating a hobby they both have bonded over: baking.  

Every Friday during advisory block A, students in the club meet in Ms. Larson’s room. Their goal is to create an environment where people can read, share, and talk about books they love. At home, members are encouraged to bake something to share during the meeting. Some of the most popular baked treats have been cupcakes, cookies, and banana bread. As students pass around their food, they share recipes and personal stories about them, creating a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. 

In the future, Books and Baking shared that they plan to host occasional bake sales. “I think it’s a great way to advertise the club while also giving members a way to get their volunteer hours”, explained Claudia. All money made from the bake sales would be donated to the school.  

Claudia and Sylvie encourage anyone to join the club if they’re interested.