Club Hour

During this well-deserved weekly break on a regular school day, middle school students are empowered to explore new things, discover hidden talents, brush up on their study skills, and prepare for what’s next.

The co-curricular Club Hour gives students the opportunity to dive into what fascinates them. Designed to complement our academic curriculum and social-emotional learning program, our incredible array of activities allow students to get creative, learn in a more relaxed environment, and explore hobbies and interests that they may not have time to during class.

Each week on Wednesday morning, students attend the club of their choice. The program is divided into two semesters, and students can sign up for a club in both the fall and spring semesters.

New clubs are frequently added at our students’ request. Keep reading to learn about many of the clubs currently offered.

Sixth Grade

The sixth grade Club Hour focuses on tefillah and bar and bat mitzvah preparation. Students also have the opportunity to strengthen their study and organizational skills and prepare for success in school and in life beyond the classroom.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Seminar Series

Each week features a unique seminar or workshop relating to bar and bat mitzvah preparation, including: how to write divrei Torah, appropriate etiquette at bar and bat mitzvah celebrations, understanding the mitzvot related to become b’nei/b’not mitzvah, and simcha dancing classes.  Each seminar is led by members of our faculty or invited guest speakers, including Rabbi Acobas, Rabbi Jensen, Morah Amit Yaghoubi, our Bnei Akiva Shlichot, and Simcha Dance and motivational professionals Naz Aziz and Yitzy Haber.

Study/Organizational Skills 

Our faculty lead our students in small group seminars focused on academic and personal organization skills. Students gain the executive functioning tools that will bring them academic and emotional growth and success in middle school, high school, and beyond.

Seventh And Eighth Grade

Robotics

Students build their own computer programmed robots using LEGO® bricks. This hands-on course is designed to hone students’ problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills while fostering communication with their partners and cultivating personal creativity.

Personal Finance and The Stock Market Game

Students delve into the basics of personal finance, financial markets and economies, and different types of financial investments. Students compete in the SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Competition, an online simulation of the global capital markets that has reached more than 17 million students since it began in 1977.

Speed and Agility

Students get moving with the goal of improving athletic agility and working on speed training through circuit workouts. They track their own data to demonstrate and evaluate their progress as the course unfolds.

Chess: Strategy and Game Play

Did you know that playing chess is believed to increase the speed and improve the quality of neural communication in  your brain? Playing chess is also a great way to hone critical thinking and problem solving skills – tools that students can use inside and outside of school. Designed for students of all levels, this class improves students’ gameplay and strategy skills.

Yoga and Meditation

Breathe. Focus. Stretch. Repeat. As they harmonize and integrate their bodies, minds, and breath through various breathing techniques, postures, and meditation, students learn how to strengthen their bodies, understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions in a safe, nurturing environment.

Debate Team

Do you enjoy expressing your opinions on important topics and feel capable of convincing others that you are right?  If so, the Debate Team will help you develop persuasive arguments, public speaking, and speech writing skills related to important current events and political issues. This team requires additional time commitments outside of the Club Hour to prepare for competitive Debate meets.

Eighth grade students participate in this club for a full year, including quarterly meets with students from other yeshivot. Seventh grade students join the team for half-year terms.

Scientific Inquirers

Club members choose a scientific inquiry based in astronomy, biology, physics, chemistry, or interdisciplinary subjects that they would like to investigate. The club then forms their hypotheses and conducts hands-on research, observation, and investigation. At the end of the semester, our scientific inquirers present their findings to their peers.

Drama Club

Ready to take the stage? The Drama Club will develop your acting and performing skills through the preparation and production of a one-act play. At the end of the term, club members attend a professional production in Long Island or New York City.

Graffiti & Art Mural Design

Our surroundings have the power to influence our feelings and behaviors – so let’s make our surroundings beautiful! In this club, students apply their art and design skills to a real area of the Old Mill Road building and create an inspiring mural for everyone to enjoy. If you’re feeling creative and don’t mind getting splattered in paint, this is the club for you!

Fun with Food

Creating culinary masterpieces is the vehicle for multidisciplinary learning in this deliciously designed class! Each session is guided by divrei Torah, including the study of relevant parshiyot, chagim, and laws of kashrut. Club members apply their math skills to measure and prepare ingredients, and learn real-life kitchen science as they mix, cook, and bake.

Chazanut

Rabbi Nir Shalom’s passion for chazzanut drives this course in which students learn how to properly lead tefillah with a tzibur. Club members learn the order of tefillah, common tunes and melodies, correct pronunciation, and other relevant topics with the goal of preparing our students to become leaders in their religious communities.

Megilla Reading (Boys Only)

A favorite tradition at NSHA, this club teaches students the skills to read Megillat Esther. The club culminates in a school and community Megillah reading on Purim morning.