With more than 115 co-curricular groups and competitive club teams available on campus, there is no shortage of ways for Blue Jays to discover a new interest, develop a talent, or simply try something they have never done before. During annual Co-Curricular Rush Days, those opportunities take center stage as students and moderators fill the Student Commons with displays designed to recruit the newest members of their groups.

Tables lined with trophies, information boards, equipment, props, and, in some cases, strategically placed candy give students a glimpse into the range of activities available beyond the classroom. The choices are as varied as the students themselves. A Blue Jay might explore an interest in finance through Investment Club, pick up an instrument with Acoustic Guitar Club, or find a purely social outlet through Ice Cream Social. Students looking for competition can find teams such as Robotics, Quiz Bowl, Mu Alpha Theta, Academic Games, Lacrosse, Sailing, and many more.

The variety is intentional. Co-curricular life gives students the freedom to explore interests they already have while also discovering new ones. A club joined out of curiosity can become a favorite hobby, introduce a student to a new group of friends, develop leadership skills, or even spark an interest that eventually influences his college studies or career aspirations.

That experience has deep roots at Carrollton and Banks Street. Beginning with the Sodality and the Philelectic Society in the early 1850s, generations of Blue Jays have been formed through opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. Today, clubs and organizations encompass academics, service, spirituality, fine and performing arts, technology, competition, recreation, and countless student interests.

For prospective students wondering what their own experience might look like, Rush Days offer a particularly vivid answer. There is no expectation that every student arrives knowing exactly where he belongs. Instead, students are encouraged to explore, meet new people, take a chance on something unfamiliar, and find the communities that make campus feel like their own.

And if the right club does not exist yet, students have the opportunity to help create it with the support of a faculty moderator. Many of the groups represented at Rush Days began because a Blue Jay had an interest he wanted to share with others.

From a pre-freshman looking for his first place to get involved to an upperclassman ready to pursue a new challenge, co-curricular life offers every student another opportunity to grow. In the process, students build friendships, develop their talents, learn to lead, and discover interests that can remain with them long after their years at Carrollton & Banks.