Club Connoisseurs Crush Expectations
Though many perceive Moeller as a strictly athletic school, there are many opportunities for kids who do not have an interest in sports to participate in school activities. Mr. David Faller and Mr. Bob Hotze are the moderators of two up and coming clubs currently flying under the radar. They are working hard to educate students in the War Games and French clubs, respectively.
Photo of Mr. David Faller by. Zach Carpenter
The first teacher interviewed was Mr. David Faller. He is the head of the War Games Club. When asked what the War Games Club was, Faller had an extensive response, “We use historical miniatures to recreate military engagements.” He goes on to say that the games have rules, measurements, fire tables, charts and dice rolling. Students engage in battle on giant tables, scaled to size with miniature figure soldiers. The games are intense, and give a real picture of what generals dealt with in the actual battles. Not only does this club improve your intuition and war strategy, it also improves your knowledge of historical events in a unique way. For example, Faller explained, “To do well, you have to use tactics and strategies of the time period.”
To join the club, there is no paperwork needed. “I don’t do a formal membership,” Faller stated of his club’s membership policy, “I don’t make you guys sign up or anything.” He states that they try to do at least one game a month. Anywhere from 5-15 kids show up every time, yet there are about 8-10 who show consistently. When asked about the future of the War Games Club, Faller is not sure where things are going, yet he is hopeful. “I have a lot of Alumni that are active now. Some of them game on their own, some of them go off to college and game. There is a community out there.”
Photo of Mr. Bob Hotze by. Zach Carpenter
The second teacher interviewed was Mr. Bob Hotze. He is the head of the French Club, which “is an organization right now made up of juniors and seniors who participate in French III and IV.” According to Hotze, the purpose of the club is to expand the culture of the language in France and other French speaking countries. Hotze excitedly explained some of the club’s activities, “The club normally meets during school hours, along with occasional fieldtrips.” Last year, the French Club took a visit to the Cincinnati Art Museum, observing French Impressionist Artwork, as well as going to the Mt. Adams Bar and Grill for lunch. Also, the club will watch classic French films.
A current club member, Will Braley 20’ had this to say about the club, “It has increased my knowledge of French food and culture taught by our fearless leader, Monsieur Hotze”. The French Club is growing in popularity as well. This is good news for the future of the club and Hotze is optimistic about its future saying, “As of now, the French Club is only consisting of juniors and seniors, however many freshmen and sophomores have expressed interest in joining the club.” Hotze always encourages younger students interested in the language to join the club.
In conclusion, there is no shortage of clubs that one can participate in. Whether one’s an athlete, a theater guy, or into video games, there will always be something to do at Moeller. Thankfully, because of moderators like Hotze and Faller, there are plenty of awesome activities for students to participate in.