On Sunday afternoons, many cherubs can be found behind a camera, typing at their computers or editing clips together.
This is when they can participate in Sunday clubs. Broadcast Club and Personal Narrative Club are offered every week, but Audio Club is held only on the final Sunday of the Medill cherub program. Despite being optional, Sunday clubs are well-attended as cherubs take advantage of the opportunities to express themselves and expand their skill sets.
Gia Liu of Ridgewood, New Jersey, attended a club every Sunday. She went to Broadcast Club twice and Personal Narrative Club once. Liu said her favorite Sunday club experience was writing about her first crush in Personal Narrative Club while eating heart-shaped cookies brought by instructor Karen Springen.
“With only three opportunities, I didn’t want to give those up,” Liu said. “It was a really good experience.”
Neeva Patel of Closter, New Jersey, pushed herself to learn something new by joining Broadcast Club. She said she had never done broadcast journalism before the program.
“If you’ve never done broadcast like me, definitely go,” Patel said. “Go to the clubs you have the least expertise in because you discover so much.”
After working at the clubs, Cherubs celebrate their hard work with presentations on Sunday nights. Many show their videos and audio clips or read their personal narratives. For instructors and cherubs alike, it’s a highlight of the club experience.
“I love watching people share their stories because, a lot of the time, I’ve seen several iterations before they get up on that stage,” said Juliet Allan, a community and academic associate who leads Personal Narrative club. “It’s really cool to see how the audience receives it, and it’s gratifying to watch you all go up there and succeed.”
