Clubs and Organizations

Photo of two students at the Engineering Club display board during the Club Fair

Please check the Morning Announcements for club meeting information.

JOIN US!

As a student at Bishop O'Connell High School, you are encouraged to balance your studies with an extracurricular life that helps feed your spirit. Beyond your classroom and homework responsibilities, a diverse number of positive ways in which your time and energy can be invested awaits you.

Whether your interest is in debate, photography or service, there is a club for you at Bishop O'Connell. More than 90 clubs, organizations and honor societies occupy our students' time and talents. Most clubs have a regular meeting time after school (such as the third Thursday of the month) and several offer more extensive time commitments. A Club Fair is held at the beginning of every school year to familiarize all students with the mission and activities of each group. Current groups are listed below. If you have any questions, please feel free to stop by our activities office in the corner of the cafeteria, or email us at activities@bishopoconnell.org.


Service and Leadership

AMBASSADORS
Moderator:  Mrs. Hallett (ahallett@bishopoconnell.org)
Student Ambassadors support the Admissions Office by representing Bishop O'Connell at various events throughout the year such as Open House and Preview Knight. Additionally, Student Ambassadors serve as tour guides and hosts to our "Knights for a Day." Ambassadors must apply and be selected in order to participate.

ATHLETIC TRAINING STUDENT AIDES
Moderator: Miss Jachym (bjachym@bishopoconnell.org)
Student trainers assist the Certified Athletic Trainer with the care of injuries to athletes. Aides work 2 – 3 days a week, all year if possible, in the training room, at practices, and games. They provide first aid, preventive taping, and team water to athletes. They assist with rehabilitation treatments and the daily operation of the athletic training program. Aides are offered the opportunity to work in a fun environment with fellow students and the Certified Athletic Trainers. They also meet other students with similar interests and get to know another side of life at  O’Connell. Good opportunity for students interested in medicine to gain exposure and practical experience.

BAKING FOR A CAUSE
Moderators:  Mr. Lacrosse (tlacrosse@bishopoconnell.org) and Ms. Schuyler (nschuyler@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of the Baking for a Cause club is to use our passion for baking to serve our community in order to fulfill Christ's mission of serving others. We will be donating our profits and products to those in need, such as the Make a Wish Foundation and hospitals in the hope that we can facilitate change and provide members of the Bishop O'Connell community with the opportunity to use their passion for baking to help others.

BBQ CLUB
Moderator:  Mr. LaCrosse (tlacrosse@bishopoconnell.org)
The club grills out for different school occasions, sometimes selling burgers and hotdogs for a cause. There's a fun community atmosphere where everybody is having a good time and cooking food for the students.

BEST BUDDIES
Moderator: Mr. O'Connor (joconnor@bishopoconnell.org)
Best Buddies fosters one-to-one friendships between high school students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The club offers social mentoring while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded through their participation. From this club, people with IDD form meaningful connections with their peers, gain self-confidence and self-esteem, and share interests, experiences and activities that many other individuals enjoy.

BLOOD SERVICES CLUB
Moderators: Mr. Seegers (sseegers@bishopoconnell.org) and Ms. Hooker (mhooker@bishopoconnell.org
The Blood Services club educates the O’Connell community about the importance of blood donation and promotes opportunities for giving blood to those able to do so. 

DIG (DISCIPLESHIP IN GARDENING)
Moderators: Mrs. MacGregor (smacgregor@bishopconnell.org) and Mrs. Ryan (lryan@bishopoconnell.org)
The DIG Club utilizes gardening skills to enrich our community through acts of service. Examples of service projects in the DIG Club include beautifying the school, performing yard work for the elderly and sick, growing produce for local food banks, and planting native plants. By uprooting weeds, we shine sunlight onto those who are struggling by planting seeds of stewardship in our student body! No gardening experience is required, but a desire to help shine God’s love onto those who are struggling mentally, physically, and financially is always needed. Mission statement: The DIG club strives to improve and enrich our community through gardening. We hope to unite our community and bring dignity to those who are not able to keep up their lawns. By uprooting weeds, we are rooting ourselves in the community and planting seeds of stewardship in our hearts!

ELDERLY CARE CLUB
Moderator: Mr. John O’Connor (joconnor@bishopoconnell.org)
The Elderly Care Club is a club dedicated to seeking opportunities to serve elderly members of our community and grow in awareness and respect for their particular needs. Members  visit residents of  the Sunrise Center (an assisted living center) once a month and play games, chat, and simply spend time with the residents  who mostly do not get visitors.

GOOD NEIGHBORS CLUB
Moderator:  Mrs. Boniface (dboniface@bishopoconnell,org)
The Good Neighbors Club is a service organization, allowing students to impact their neighborhoods in meaningful ways. This includes clean-up/beautification projects, coat drives, etc.

HEALTH & HUMANITIES CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Martin (kmartin@bishopoconnell.org
This club strives to bring awareness and educate the community about autoimmune diseases and serve to help those suffering in the wider community.  

KEYETTES
Moderators: Mrs. Friel (lfriel@bishopoconnell.org) and Mrs. Aubry (kaubry@bishopoconnell.org),
For membership each girl must show that she is able to donate time and energy and maintain at least a "C" average. This club is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Application for membership is made in the spring for the following school year.
The DJO Keyette Club is an all female service organization at O’Connell High School where its members help faculty, administrators, and the surrounding community with various projects. The purpose of the DJO Keyette Club follows the Constitution of the Keyette International: to serve school and community, to develop initiative and leadership in its members, to provide experience in working with others, to prepare for useful citizenship and to cooperate with the school administration and faculty. Keyettes usually assist with Back to School Night, Open House, Homecoming, Thankathon, Turkey Blitz, Registration Night, Bake Sales and Community Service opportunities.

KNIGHTS 4 LIFE/PRO-LIFE CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Sloan (nsloan@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of this club is to organize various pro-life activities--prayer, petition circulation, and writing letters to government officials. This club strives to reinforce the Culture of Life at O'Connell through prayer and peaceful witness.

KNIGHTS FOR THE NEEDY
Moderator:  Mrs. Johnson (rjohnson@bishopoconnell.org)
Knights for the Needy offers a way for students to help those in need by creating opportunities for these students to donate to charities and assist local non-profits, such as soup kitchens, homeless shelters, women shelters, or organizations dedicated to the most vulnerable in the community.

KNIGHTS FOR TROOPS
Moderator:  Mrs. Hooker (mhooker@bishopoconnell.org)
Our mission is to assist veterans and their families, raise awareness about ongoing issues concerning our military, increase patriotism throughout O’Connell, and give back to our community and country.

KNIGHT TO KNIGHT
Moderator: Ms. Burks (nburks@bishopoconnell.org)
Knight to Knight is an organization of upperclassmen who mentor freshmen in advisory.

LEADERS IN NETWORKING KNIGHTS (LINK)
Moderator:  Mrs. Burks (nburks@bishopoconnell.org)
LINK mentors pair up with Transfer Students to welcome them to our DJO community.

LIBRARY CLUB
Moderators:  Mrs. Gonsalves (egonsalves@bishopoconnell.org) and Mrs. Harrison (lharrison@bishopoconnell.org)
Student Library Aides assist with organizing the physical and digital library, promote library services and resources, and help library visitors.  By providing valuable service to our school community, library aides learn, practice and model professional skills.

MODEL UNITED NATIONS
Moderators: Mr. Kasakove (ekasakove@bishopoconnell.org) and Ms. Allgood (callgood@bishopconnell.org)
The Bishop O’Connell Model United Nations Club is an organization where participants represent a country in the United Nations during different conferences. In order to join this club it is not necessary to be comfortable or be able to speak publicly. This offers students the opportunity to gain an international perspective on current events and build their debate and critical thinking skills. .

ONE LOVE
Moderator: Dr. Stabile (dstabile@bishopoconnell.org)
One Love promotes an understanding of healthy and unhealthy relationships in our members, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to express their feelings. Club activities will include presentation of seminars and workshops and peer-to-peer discussions, One Love offers a framework that helps members spread our message online and in their communities.

OUR MINDS MATTER
Moderator:  Mrs. Hurley (khurley@bishopoconnell.org) and Ms. Grether (cgrether@bishopoconnell.org)
This club will help students bring more mental health awareness to the school which will help foster the pursuit of excellence in the whole person. The activities are designed to increase social-connectedness, help-seeking behaviors, and encourage self-care and healthy habits.

O-ZONE
Moderator: Coach Wootten (jwootten@bishopoconnell.org)
O-Zone members are responsible for helping to lead school pep rallies and support the growth and development of O’Connell teams through social media.

PAWS FOR A CAUSE
Moderator: Ms. Cottrell (lcottrell@bishopoconnell.org)
Paws for a Cause is a student organization dedicated to the care and preservation of all God's living creatures. We welcome all animal lovers and their pets to share O'Connell joy through holiday costume contests, fundraising for local animal shelters and blessing of the animals all in the tradition of the patron saint of animals, St. Francis of Assissi.

SAVE THE CHILDREN
Moderator: Mr. Russo (frusso@bishopoconnell.org)
Save the Children advocates for the needs of poverty stricken and seriously ill children, promoting a greater awareness of and sensitivity to the needs of underprivileged children on both the local and international levels. Save the Children club focuses on making a positive impact on others and taking action to resolve issues that children are facing. This club is part of a national network.

SCA (STUDENT COUNCIL ASSOCIATION) EXECUTIVE BOARD
Moderators: Ms. Tillotson (vtillotson@bishopoconnell.org) and Mr. Nannini (vnannini@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of the SCA is to cooperate with the administration/faculty in the promotion of high standards of education in conjunction with the development in each person of a knowledge of the Christian faith and a devotion to God; to foster school spirit through planning, coordinating, and executing of various activities for the student body; to promote a good relationship between the administration/faculty and the students; to represent the students' concerns to the administration/faculty; and to promote the general welfare of the Bishop O'Connell community. The SCA is also in charge of numerous school wide activities like the Christ House Soup Drive and Superdance.

Freshman Class Moderator:  Mr. Schurr (bshurr@bishopoconnell.org)
Sophomore Class Moderator: Mr. Antonaros (cantonaros@bishopoconnell.org)
Junior Class Moderator:  Mr. Betthauser (bbetthauser@bishopoconnell.org)
Senior Class Moderator:  Mr. Britt (nbritt@bishopoconnell.org)

TEENS AGAINST CANCER CLUB
Moderators: Ms. Semaan (ssemaan@bishopoconnell.org) and Mr. Fitzpatrick (efitzpatrick@bishopoconnell.org)
The club seeks to support St. Jude’s Golden Gala, Kids V Cancer, Relay for Life (with American Cancer Society), and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.


Arts


ANIMATION CLUB 
Moderator: Mr. Heitz (gheitz@bishopoconnell.org) 
This club provides a fun and educational environment to learn about animation, character design, storyboarding, and the 12 principles of animation. 

ARTS AWARENESS ASSOCIATION
Moderator: Ms. Dowell (sdowell@bishopoconnell.org) 
This Club promotes participation in, enthusiasm for, and appreciation of the Arts in all forms.  You don’t have to be an artist to join, but if you are someone who appreciates all that the arts (music, visual, etc.) offer to enrich our lives and community, join us! 

DRUMLINE
Moderators: Mr. Isaacson (risaacson@bishopoconnell.org)
Drumline represents and supports Bishop O'Connell. Using drums in correlation with the O-Zone and at games, Drumline energizes teams and fans.

FIBER ARTS CLUB
Moderator:  Mrs. Taylor (mtaylor@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of this club is to allow students the opportunity to learn and practice knitting.

FILM AND CINEMA CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Rose (mrose@bishopoconnell.org) 
We will  learn more about film including the process,  writing, developing, and producing of films. A well-rounded student should have an appreciation for the arts and this club will help students learn more about film and how we can explore our faith through film. We will discuss various genres of film. The club will also watch films and discuss the impact they have on our lives and how this form of media enriches our society. 

GUITAR CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Jimenez (cjiminez@bishopoconnell.org)
This club is for practicing, learning songs and most importantly to have fun playing the guitar.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Heitz (gheitz@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of the Photography Club is to capture the beauty of God’s earth through the art of photography. It allows students  to share their interests in photography. We will help each other become better photographers through photography challenges, showcases, and lessons. The club offers the ability to use both analog and digital formats.

STRING QUARTET
Moderator:  Mr. LaCrosse (tlacrosse@bishopoconnell.org)
String Quartet performs at O'Connell events and in the surrounding community.  Increasing awareness of the sound and beautiful music that can be played as a string quartet.

SWING DANCE CLUB
Moderator:  Ms. Midgley (gmidgley@bishopoconnell.org)
The swing dance club promotes awareness of American vernacular jazz dances from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s such as lindy hop, balboa, and Charleston. We will meet weekly for swing dance lessons and will explore the historical connection between dance and American jazz music.

TAP DANCE CLUB 
Moderator: Miss Midgley (gmidgley@bishopoconnell.org)
Tap Dance Club is for those who wish to practice or learn to tap dance.  It's fun, healthy, and a good way to relieve stress. Join us and have some fun learning a different style of dance.


Academic Interests


DEBATE CLUB
Moderator:  Ms. Cottrell (lcottrell@bishopoconnell.org)
The O’Connell Debate Club develops communication and rhetoric skills which are essential for empowering youth to become engaged citizens, skilled professionals and honorable leaders in our society.  The club exists in order to develop educational skills of members by actively participating in debates and speaking competitions with peers.  Activities will include participating in debates with fellow club members, learning the elements of rhetoric and learning how to effectively use ethos, pathos and logos.

IT’S ACADEMIC/QUIZ BOWL
Moderator: TBD
The It’s Academic Club is a group of trivia-loving students who meet to practice for competitions. The club participates in three major competitions. These include It’s Academic, a televised academic quiz competition for high school students airing on NBC, as well as the Winter and Spring Knowledge Master Open. All interested students are welcome to be a part of the team.

LARGESSE
Moderator: Ms. Ann Dunlop (adunlop@bishopoconnell.org)
The Largesse is a literary/art magazine. The purpose of the Largesse is to publish student art, poetry, prose and photography in a creative arts magazine and consequently stimulate interest in the creative arts. Students who demonstrate skill and/or enthusiasm for the creative arts are encouraged to join.

PAGEMASTERS BOOK CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Dowell (sdowell@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of this club is to provide its members with a wider and more diverse experience of the wilds and frontiers of literature. The goal is to expose the members to as many styles and genres as possible while at the same time revealing the intensity and entertainment to be harvested from reading.

SHAKESPEARE CLUB 
Moderator: Mr. Antonaros (cantonaros@bishopoconnell.org) 
This club fosters an appreciation for Shakespeare and offers the opportunity to discuss Shakespearean plays and various adaptations. 

VISOR NEWSPAPER
Moderator:  Ms. Garner (agarner@bishopoconnell.org)
The VISOR staff produces a newspaper four times a year and maintains the VISOR-online edition. Membership is open to all students. Club members are considered contributors to the newspaper. 

YEARBOOK
Moderator: Mr. Antonaros (cantonaros@bishopoconnell.org)
Students in the Yearbook Club offer support to those in the Yearbook class in a cooperative effort to produce The Shield through page design and photography. 


Growing Your Faith

ALTAR SERVER CLUB
Moderator: Fr. McShurley (frpmshurley@bishopoconnell.org)
Interested students assist in setting up for school liturgies and serving Mass throughout the year as altar servers and ushers.  Members should be altar servers in their home parish.

FIAT CLUB
Moderators: Mrs. Lewis (vlewis@bishopoconnell.org) and Ms. Hurley (khurley@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of Fiat is to accompany young women in their faith. We do this by gathering together as a community to grow in virtue through fellowship, conversation, prayer, scripture,  and inspiration from the saints. This all happens over tea!

THE GREAT COMMISSION CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Whitehead (ewhitehead@bishopoconnell.org)
How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God? Did Jesus claim to be God? Why should I give myself over to Christ? As it says in 1 Peter 3:15, we should always be ready to give a defense for the faith we have. This club is for students who are interested in learning arguments for the Catholic Faith and how to reach others in a world that is becoming more secular. This club will be a way to help students think through real world problems and ways to discuss Catholicism to people of other faith backgrounds.

LITTLE FLOWERS
Moderator:  Mrs. Rosson (jrosson@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of this club is to assist the school Chaplain with the set up of liturgical events throughout the school day.  With St. Therese of Lisieux as our model, The Little Flowers Club aims to assist Campus Ministry by serving the school as sacristans. Under the direction of the Chaplain, the Little Flowers will undertake the general preparation of liturgical celebrations.The Club also offers social opportunities for interested students. Young women grow in relationship with each other and God through service. 

PRAISE BAND
Moderator: Mrs. Prince (eprince@bishopoconnell.org)
Praise Band is an auditioned group of singers and musicians who use their talents to praise God during school Masses. If interested in joining, please consider auditioning in the spring semester (early May).

ROSARY CLUB
Moderator:  Fr. McShurley (frpmshurley@bishopoconnell.org)
The Rosary meditates on the life of Christ and Our Lady's role in salvation history.  Students gather to pray to the Rosary twice per week.

SCIENCE AND FAITH CLUB
Moderators: Mrs. Pore (mpore@bishopoconnell.org) and Mrs. Swaim (cswaim@bishopoconnell.org)
This club is focused on the intersection of science and faith. With evidence from the James Webb Space telescope images, we can see and understand new perspectives within our faith. Through examining deep space, we can understand our beginnings in a new and deeper way.


STEM Interests

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (ACS) CHEMISTRY CLUB
Moderator:  Mrs. Kapral (akapral@bishopconnell.org)
This club is open to all students interested in learning more about chemistry, regardless of prior or current enrollment in chemistry class. The Club explores careers in Chemistry and does fun Chemistry activities.

ASTROBOTANY CLUB (Space Biology)
Moderator: Mrs. Pore (mpore@bishopoconnell.org)
Members will participate in research conducted through the International Space Station as a way to determine how plants grow differently in space.  The club members track growth of the seedlings and germination processes to determine if there are differences in plants from earth due to micro-gravity.  Plant a 3 Sisters Garden at school, grow tomato plants from space and teach others about healthy eating through agriculture.

AVIATION, RADIO, AND ENGINEERING CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Pore (mpore@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of this club is to design and test space experiments, build and launch satellites, and support the learning of Amateur Radio.

BIOLOGY CLUB
Moderator:  Mr. Mark O'Connor (moconnor@bishopoconnell.org)
Members explore biology and strive to showcase the beauty that is biology to the student body.  This club is for all people interested in science!  If you are considering a career in medicine, marine biology, crime scene investigation and more we encourage you to join our club.  We strive to explore biology through fun experiments and giving back to the school.  Activities – Visit the National Zoo, play Biology Jeopardy, tutor fellow students, perform fun labs, beautify the school, guest speakers, work on projects and much more.

CLIMATE KNIGHTS
Moderator:  Mr. Britt (nbritt@bishopoconnell.org)
The Climate Knights is a club for students across all grade levels to both learn about climate change, how it is affecting our planet, and what steps and habits we can implement to make a difference. It will inspire members to spread awareness on the topic of global warming and climate change to their peers and community.  Our goals are to develop student leaders to spread awareness of and combat the negative effects of climate change, educate the student body and the O'Connell community about the importance of this issue and how we can make changes for a better climate future.

CYBER KNIGHTS
Moderator: Mrs. Gonsalves (egonsalves@bishopoconnell.org)
Cyber Knights are students who are interested in cybersecurity and want to develop computer and network security experience using technical resources to excel in cyber security competitions. One contest has students manage the computer network (both Linux and Windows) of a small company and they must find cybersecurity vulnerabilities and lock down the system while maintaining critical services. New members are always welcome.

GAME DESIGN CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Gonsalves (egonsalves@bishopoconnell.org)
Students explore the art and science of computer game design on Windows and Mac and app development on iOS and Android.  Topics of interest include programming logic, coding, story-telling, character development, animation, 3D design, textures, animation and sound.  Students create with different software tools and game assets to create digital games to play and publish.  Each month we demonstrate and create using a different game design software tool.

CODING CLUB
Moderators:  Mrs. Gonsalves (egonsalves@bishopoconnell.org) and Ms. Anderson (aanderson@bishopoconnell.org)
The coding club is a positive peer learning community giving students the opportunity to explore coding in a non-academic environment.  They bring experienced minds together with newbies to discuss challenges with coding and improve together. This club opens up opportunities for internships and competitions.

SEAPERCH SUB CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Pore (mpore@bishopoconnell.org)
The main purpose of the Seaperch Club is to build automated underwater vehicles and then compete at the United States Naval Academy in challenges with the device.

STELLAR XPLORERS
Moderator: Mrs. Pore (mpore@bishopoconnell.org)
Stellar Xplorers is a STEM club that participates in an organized competition through the Air & Space Forces Association. Members focus as a team on three different problem scenarios related to satellite exploration, navigation, and discovery of fascinating planetary data.  Example: A scenario proposed was how to place satellites in order to best collect the most information along the path of a total eclipse. 

TEENS IN MEDICINE
Moderator: Mr. Mark O’Connor (moconnor@bishopoconnell.org)
This club is for students who aspire to a career in medicine.  There will be opportunities to interact with medical professionals and learn about how to best prepare to succeed in their future studies and in the medical field. 


World Languages & Cultures

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) CLUB
Moderator:  Ms. Martin (kmartin@bishopoconnell.org)
No experience necessary! The ASL Club is open to O'Connell students who are interested in learning more about deaf culture and practicing American Sign Language.

ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Moderator:  Mrs. Ogdoc (kogdoc@bishopoconnell.org)
The goal of AASA is to promote an understanding and awareness of Asian culture including ethnicity, social, economic, political and religious systems. Awareness and understanding is fostered through monthly meetings, an annual assembly for the entire student body, and fund raising activities.

BLACK STUDENT UNION CLUB
Moderator:  Ms. Gipson (tgipson@bishopoconnell.org)
The mission of the club is to promote our Christian faith, to promote a positive school presence, advocate for those in need and educate others about the proud heritage of the African American people. We support the Comfort Cases Charity that provides supplies for young children who transition to and between foster homes. We are an inclusive community in which all cultures can be a part. Genealogy across cultures (because we are multicultural) will play a large role in the club. All students of any cultural or ethnic groups are welcome. Events include Black History Month Assembly, Comfort Cases fundraiser as well as the Taste of Africa (share African treats with the school community).

DEU (Diversity, Equity, and Unity) STUDENT COMMITTEE
Moderator: Mrs. Davis (bdavis@bishopoconnell.org)
The Diversity, Equity and Unity student committee is a platform to engage in meaningful conversations, share diverse perspectives, and collectively work towards fostering an environment where every voice is heard and valued.  By participating in this club, you will gain a deeper appreciation for the richness of human experiences. There are opportunities to share viewpoints and collaborate on initiatives that promote equality and celebrate our differences. Together, we can create a lasting change within DJO and beyond, fostering a community of respect, empathy and unity.

EUROPEAN CULTURES CLUB
Moderator: Ms. Johnston (njohnston@bishopconnell.org)
Meetings focus on cultural festivities, functions, language, and faith systems of a variety of different European countries. Meetings often include  themes and planned presentations on events such as Bavarian Oktoberfest, Rome at Christmas, Bulgarian Spring Festivals, and Venetian Mardi Gras.

FRENCH CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Kirschbaum (Jkirschbaum@bishopoconnell.org)
The goal of the French Club is to stimulate interest in the French language, France and its culture. French Club is a place to speak French, enjoy French food and culture, and celebrate all things Français! The club is open to anyone, whether or not they speak French or are taking French classes at O'Connell.

GERMAN CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. MacGregor (smacgregor@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of this group is to foster appreciation for and explore German language and culture. 

GREEK CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Antonaros (cantonaros@bishopoconnell.org)
This club builds community among students, and allows students to share their culture and traditions with their peers. Together, members of the Greek Club celebrate Greek holidays and feasts.

HABESHA ETHIOPIAN  STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Moderators:  Ms. Hurley (khurley@bishopoconnell.org) and Mrs. Johnson (rjohnson@bishopoconnell.org)
To connect Ethiopian students in our community, and allow for Ethiopian culture to be better understood across the school.  A place for all students to come and experience the beauty of Ethiopian culture!

HISPANIC HERITAGE CLUB
Moderator: Ms. Yanine (fyanine@bishopoconnell.org)
To learn about and to recognize the contributions and vital presence of both Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and to observe their native heritage and contributing culture. The club produces the annual Hispanic Heritage Assembly and participates in the Hispanic Heritage Mass.  It provides the opportunity to celebrate Hispanic traditions. The club also works with the Spanish Honor Society at the St. James monthly food distribution.

ITALIAN-AMERICAN CLUB
Moderator: Dr. Stabile (dstabile@bishopoconnell.org)
This club promotes awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the global contributions of Italian culture, customs, and traditions in Catholic Church, history, science, mathematics, art, music, language, philosophy and literature. Service opportunities for members are provided.

LATIN CLUB
Moderator: Ms. Coia (kcoia@bishopoconnell.org)
The club fosters an appreciation for Roman culture and mythology with games and other activities.

M.E.N.A. (MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA) HERITAGE CLUB 
Moderator: Mrs. O’Malley (momalley@bishopoconnell.org) 
This Club exists to celebrate and appreciate the culture and traditions of the Middle East and North Africa.  

POLISH CLUB 
Moderator: Ms. Santos (fsantos@bishopoconnell.org) 
This club aims to celebrate and educate the community about Polish culture and traditions.  

SPANISH CLUB
Moderator: Ms. Yanine (fyanine@bishopoconnell.org)
The Spanish Club’s purpose is to promote an appreciation for the Spanish and Hispanic culture and a continuity of interest in Hispanic studies.


Common Interests - Just for Fun!


ANIME CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Heitz (gheitz@bishopoconnell.org)
The Anime Club watches and discusses anime artwork and videos.

AV CLUB
Moderators:  Ms. Bambino (gbambino@bishopoconnell.org) and Mrs. Hatley (chatley@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of the AV Club is to teach videography and editing skills and to produce video content for the school.  Activities include designing videos for the school including highlights from sports and events.

BOARD KNIGHTS 
Moderator:  Mrs. Harrison (lharrison@bishopoconnell.org)
Do you enjoy playing and learning new games? Students in the Board Games club learn new games and play together.  A great way to meet new friends!

CHESS CLUB
Moderator:  Mr. Kasakove (ekasakove@bishopoconnell.org)
A club for those who enjoy playing chess. All experience levels welcome!

DODGEBALL
Moderator: Ms. Santos (fsantos@bishopoconnell.org)
Dodgeball is a recreational club which allows students to have fun, make new friends, build teamwork and organizational skills in a positive environment. 

"DOODL" CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Heitz (gheitz@bishopoconnell.org)
Students will practice creating and developing concepts, storylines, storyboards, and characters for comic books.

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS
Moderator: Mr. Antonaros (cantonaros@bishopoconnell.org)
This club plays Dungeons and Dragons as well as other related games like PathFinder. We help players develop role playing and acting skills.

FASHION CLUB 
Moderator: Miss Tucker (mtucker@bishopoconnell.org
Have a passion for fashion? Members of the O’Connell Fashion Club share their interest in fashion trends and creativity. This club provides the space for like-minded individuals to express and connect in fashion-forward ideas. Join us for everything from blog design, to decorating tote bags, to fashion shows!

GAMING CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Gonsalves (egonsalves@bishopoconnell.org)
Join a safe venue where students play and compete in digital games, like Smash Bros, and participate in contests and competitions. Bring your portable console, like Nintendo Switch. Meet new people IRL and climb the leaderboard!

KNIGHT LIFE STEP TEAM
Moderator: Mrs. Davis (bdavis@bishopoconnell.org)
Step Team provides a great opportunity for interested students to gain stepping skills and showcase their talent. The steppers perform at school events and competitions. The team was created in order to demonstrate a unique art form that originated in Africa. The purpose is also to perform at school and community events throughout the year, develop leadership skills and develop each member physically, mentally and morally. Students also have the opportunity to begin an activity they can continue in college.

MOUNTAIN BIKING CLUB (MTB)
Moderator:  Mr. Gonzalez (jgonzalez@bishopoconnell.org)
Mountain biking is a healthy, social, technical, and competitive sport that is enjoyed outdoors in natural places. Students will have an opportunity to develop their whole person by participating in the sport, and giving to our community by assisting with trail maintenance and clean-up.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES CLUB
Moderator: Ms. Johnson (rjohnson@bishopoconnell.org)
The Outdoor Activities Club sponsors activities such as fishing trips and hikes, and raises money to support organizations giving similar opportunities to others in need.   

PICKLEBALL CLUB
Moderator: Mrs. Boniface (dboniface@bishopoconnell.org)
The Pickleball Club will meet to learn and practice.  All experience levels welcome!

PING PONG CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Prince (sprince@bishopoconnell.org)
The Ping Pong club builds community through the fun of playing ping pong.  Anyone at any skill level can come and play.

POWERLIFTING CLUB
Moderator: Coach Nutter (gnutter@bishopoconnell.org)
Powerlifting is a great way to build confidence and a sense of self worth.  Students of all experience levels are welcome to come and learn.

STOCK AND FINANCE CLUB
Moderator: Mr. Betthauser (wbetthauser@bishopoconnell.org)
Students participate in a Stock Market Virtual Simulation as well as in an Economics Challenge competition at the state level in Richmond.

TAYLOR SWIFT ASSOCIATION
Moderator:  Mrs. Schuyler (nschuyler@bishopoconnell.org)
The Taylor Swift Association is a place to discuss and share in the enjoyment of Taylor Swift music with friends. In the club we enjoy listening to our favorite songs/albums, discussing our shared interest, and meeting people who share this interest with us.


Academic Honor Societies


NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
Moderators: Mr. Perrone (aperrone@bishopoconnell.org) and Ms. Allgood (callgood@bishopoconnell.org)
Members of the National Honor Society must have a qualifying GPA in order to apply.  Members serve within the school and greater community.  NHS is a national program and focuses on building character, especially in the areas of leadership, service, and intellect. 

ASL HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator: Ms. Martin (kmartin@bishopoconnell.org)
The ASL Honor Society is a part of a national organization that recognizes students for excellence in their mastery of ASL.  Members are invited to join by the ASL teacher based on 3.5 GPA in ASL and 3.0  cumulative GPA. The induction ceremony is in March during World Language Week.

FRENCH HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator: Ms. Webb (wwebb@bishopoconnell.org)
This group fosters an appreciation for French culture, honors the best French students, participates in school charity drives, and hosts French speaking guests. Membership is open to students who have had two years of French and a grade average of 90 or higher.

GERMAN HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator: Mrs. MacGregor (smacgregor@bishopoconnell.org)
The purpose of this group is to honor excellence in the study of the German language and culture, and to lend service to other German students in need of tutoring. Members must be in the last three semesters of study and possess at least an 85 average in other academic subjects. The Honor Society works with the German Club and provides tutoring and a service project.

INTERNATIONAL THESPIAN SOCIETY
Moderator: Miss Midgley (gmidgley@bishopoconnell.org)
International Thespian Society recognizes excellence in high school theater artists.  Membership is earned by accruing points in service to the DJO theater program.

LATIN HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator:  Ms. Coia (kcoia@bishopoconnell.org)
Any student enrolled in a Latin class is eligible for membership. The Latin Honor Society fosters an appreciation for Roman culture and civilization, honors best Latin students, and participates in school charity drives. Membership requirement for Honor Society is a grade of 90 or above for 3 consecutive semesters.  Honor Society students are obligated to tutor other Latin students who need assistance.

NATIONAL ENGLISH HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator:  Mr. Antonaros (cantonaros@bishopoconnell.org)
The goal of NEHS is to promote mastery of written expression, encourage worthwhile reading, and foster fellowship among students who excel in English. Activities – Book drive, book club, DC-area library visits and service projects. Eligibility = 3.7 overall GPA and 3.9 GPA in English.  Application plus teacher recommendation required.

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS HONOR SOCIETY - MU ALPHA THETA
Moderator: Mr. Bernhard (mbernhard@bishopoconnell.org)
Membership is limited to students with qualifying GPAs. The honor society promotes a love of math through math related activities and competitions.

NATIONAL SOCIAL STUDIES HONOR SOCIETY - RHO KAPPA
Moderator: Mr. Rixon (grixon@bishopoconnell.org)
Rho Kappa  recognizes students for academic excellence in Social Studies. Students must apply and meet Rho Kappa requirements in order to be considered for membership. 

SCIENCE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator: Mr. Glynn (tglynn@bishopoconnell.org)
The Science National Honor Society recognizes students for academic excellence in Science.  Students must apply and meet honor society requirements in order to be considered for membership.

SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator: Ms. Yanine (fyanine@bishopoconnell.org)
Membership is by invitation. Students must have an average of A- for three consecutive years to be eligible. Spanish Honor Society fosters appreciation for Spanish culture and language.  Members tutor students during Knight Time.

TRI-M MUSIC HONOR SOCIETY
Moderator: Mr. LaCrosse (tlacrosse@bishopoconnell.org)
This organization is for junior and senior music class students who meet the GPA requirement.  It offers opportunities to perform and do service work for both the O’Connell and wider community.


Didn't find what you were looking for? Contact our activities office at activities@bishopoconnell.org to see how you can start a new club at Bishop O'Connell.