Freshman Academy Clubs List
*Click on each club to learn more!
Freshman Academy Clubs
Description: Our club aims to improve the lives of Chicago shelter animals. We will be making fleece beds and various toys for shelter animals and by running donation drives and delivering the donations to multiple Chicagoland shelters. Some shelters that we work with include: Chicago Canine, Harmony House for Cats, Felines & Canines, Wrightway shelter and 8 other Chicago land shelters.
Location: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Dates and Time: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Become a Member: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Staff Contact: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Description: Academic Center students read 20 books from the competition list and compete against each other and then other students in CPS by answering questions about the books.
Location: FA Room 304
Dates and Time: Mondays, 3:05-4:00pm
Become a Member: Open to any 7th and 8th grade Academic Center students
Staff Contact: Munoz, Vanessa (vmunoz14@cps.edu)
Description: The objective of Best Buddies is to cultivate a caring school environment where typically developing and persons with disabilities are integrated. The club's objectives will be accomplished by bringing general and special education students together in bi-weekly meetings, activities, and special events.
Location: Room 1030
Dates and Time: Wednesdays (every other week)
Become a Member: Open to all Taft students
Staff Contact: Schwartz, Austin (aschwartz7@cps.edu)
Description: Our club provides an opportunity for the students of the Freshman Academy to meet as a band and practice for performances to be given to the school community. It allows for students who want to further their musical studies an option to do so if they are not able to do so in the school day.
Location: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Dates and Time: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Become a Member: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Staff Contact: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Description: The objective is for students is to enjoy themselves and their creativity while collaborating with new people and contributing to their community. This club is meant to express everyone's creativity with different types of crafts and hobbies and to inspire others to create. These objectives tie in with the IB Learner Profile attribute of communicator because students will get to practice effective communication while creating & teaching crafts with/to others.
Location: Room 304
Dates and Time: Wednesdays (Every Regular Bell Wednesday)
Become a Member: This club is open to anyone who wants to join from both TFA and VC
Staff Contact: Munoz, Vanessa (vmunoz14@cps.edu)
Description: Students will play D&D (and other dice-based tabletop roleplaying games) together, Dungeon Masters will be trained to run their own games for their peers, and students will tell silly stories of adventure and math with dice.
Location: TFA Rm. 206
Dates and Time: Mondays 3:00 - 4:15pm
Become a Member: Open to all students
Staff Contact: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Description: This club aims to help students analyze stocks and finance to better prepare for their future. Students will conduct research on companies as they watch the stock market and extend their understanding of financial policies.
Location: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Dates and Time: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Become a Member: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Staff Contact: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Description: A place for students to relieve stress, meet new friends, and have fun! The Club will decide on the activities for each month. Options are board games, wordle, legos, talking topics, etc.
Location: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Dates and Time: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Become a Member: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Staff Contact: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Description: Students will have an opportunity to practice guitar and learn new skills and techniques with the instrument. Students will also have the chance to jam with each other and play in a non-instructional, student-led setting.
Location: TFA Rm. 206
Dates and Time: Thursdays 3:00 - 4:15 pm (first Semester with the option of extending into the second semester)
Become a Member: Any students who have an interest or skill in guitar. All Freshmen will have the opportunity to join, even if they aren't enrolled in a performing art class this year.
Staff Contact: TBD
Description: Students build a community with a shared interest in drama. They learn to problem solve, collaborate, create, take risks, and provide balance through improv games and other exercises and activities. This serves as a chapter to the larger Drama Club, but with an aim toward providing an environment specifically for 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students.
Location: F002/F003 (Performing Arts Room)
Dates and Time: Wednesdays after school
Become a Member: Open to TFA students who are interested in theatre or are looking for a place to be themselves
Staff Contact: Wilson, Bryan (btwilson2@cps.edu) and Graham, Caitlin (cagraham1@cps.edu)
Description: Students collaborate to deepen their knowledge of quantitative reasoning, hone their problem-solving skills, and have fun competing with other CPS students in the Chicago Junior Math League competitions.
Location: Google Meet (virtual)
Dates and Time: Mondays: 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Become a Member: Open to Taft Academic Center students (7th and 8th grade students only)
Staff Contact: Niebaum, Richard (rdniebaum@cps.edu) and Greco, Trent (tegreco@cps.edu)
Description: **Click on the website link above to learn more!
Location: Room 310
Dates and Time: Fridays during 4th period
Become a Member: Open to 8th grade Academic Center students that have been inducted into NJHS
Staff Contact: Kelly Figueroa (kfigueroa2@cps.edu)
Description: Students will be educated about the history of Pickleball, learn the sport, practice, play games, and develop teamwork skills.
Location: Courtyard and Dining Hall
Dates and Time: Every other Wednesday for 1.5 hours
Become a Member: Open to 7-9th grades
Staff Contact: Devine, Karen (kmdevine@cps.edu)
Description: Participants interact with others in the club and make new friends while learning how to play Ping Pong.
Location: TFA Dining Hall
Dates and Time: Thursdays immediately after school (3pm-4pm) from October through March
Become a Member: Open to all Freshman Academy students
Staff Contact: Wilson, Bradley (bjwilson4@cps.edu)
Description: We will aim to create beautiful, wearable art. We will tie-dye clothing that the students will keep and be able to wear.
Location: Room 316
Dates and Time: Thursdays (every other week)
Become a Member: Open to all interested students at TFA.
Staff Contact: Bezold-Plencner, Jessica (jabezold-ple@cps.edu)
Description: To help students meet Ukrainian students as well as all other students interested in learning about Ukraine. There is influx of Ukrainian refugees coming to the USA with what is happening there, we hope to welcome them. We hope to raise awareness about Ukraine and assist Ukrainians - particularly refugees at this time, as well as orphans when times are not in such chaos.
Location: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Dates and Time: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Become a Member: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Staff Contact: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Description: TFA students will be part of creating the yearbook by taking pictures of TFA events. Mr. McKinney will provide instruction on how to operate cameras and let them know what events should be photographed. We will give feedback on pictures once they are taken.
Location: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Dates and Time: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Become a Member: *TBD for the 25-26 SY
Staff Contact: *TBD for the 25-26 SY