Activities & Clubs

Active Minds is a nationwide organization that works to promote mental health and reduce the stigma of mental illness. The goal is to spread information to support mental health and reduce the stigma of mental illness.

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/nC2iULz9Hg1o4v6Q6

Room: 137

Date: Monthly

Time: 2:15 PM

Sponsor: Dulce Souidi

Objectives

Active Minds is student-directed, so what we do is determined by our membership. Some of the things our chapter has done include:

1. Increasing the awareness of the students, faculty, and staff at River Hill High School about:

• issues surrounding mental health

• symptoms related to mental health disorders

• mental health resources available both at River Hill and in the surrounding community

2. Removing stigma surrounding mental health disorders so that students will feel more comfortable openly discussing mental-health related issues and seeking help when it is needed

3. Promoting general awareness of the importance of mental health.

4. Providing students with easy access to information.

What we are not: Active Minds does not provide counseling or any form of mental healthcare, so an Active Minds chapter is not, nor will ever be, a peer counseling or support group. You can learn more about the national organization at www.ActiveMinds.org. 

Targeting African-American males in grades 9 - 12, the Alpha Achievers is an education program of the Howard County, Maryland Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. It fosters a positive learning environment in order to facilitate students’ pursuit of excellence by attaining, maintaining, and exceeding a 3.0 grade point average. The minimum requirement for membership is a 3.0 GPA. The program also seeks to encourage and motivate those students who have less than a 3.0 grade point average to strive towards this goal.

Room: 235

Day: Every Other Wednesday

Time: Hawk Time

Contact: David Campbell (Primary Contact) David.L.Campbell@NASA.gov

Angel's Network is an organization whose mission is to help people in need through donations towards charitable causes. Charitable causes include, but are not limited to, Breast Cancer Awareness, meals for the homeless, and school supply donations.

Room: 

Day:

Time: 

Contact: 

Registration Information

Visit www.linktr.ee/angelsnetwork (Links to an external site.) for our sign-up form 
Follow us on Instagram @rhhsangelsnetwork for updates! 

For any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at rhhs.angels.network@gmail.com. 

The Animation Club focuses on studying processes to make our own animations and animating various animations. We want to provide a place for aspiring animators to learn and practice the craft while also being able to share a space with others with similar interests.

Room: 216

Day: Weekly

Time: 2:15 PM

Sponsor: Mrs. Jennifer Smith

Our club is about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Our mission is to teach students about the basics of machine learning and inspire them to pursue the field in the future. We also hope to help students learn about the limitless applications of machine learning and its intersection with different fields. Eventually, we would like to help students to create their own independent projects that have a positive societal impact.

Room: 245

Day: Fridays

Time: 2:15 PM

Sponsor: Mr. Boothe

Baking for Benefits is a club designed to help others through baking. We learn different baking techniques and recipes, and use our products to raise funds for donations. Our goal is to bring the community together to help others through the love of baking. We hope to bake and help raise money to donate to county organizations that help provide resources to those in need.

Room: 221 or Foods Classroom

Day: Monthly

Time: 2:15 PM

Sponsor: Mrs. Irby

Contact us! : bakingforbenefit@gmail.com

Best Buddies International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). More information can be found at https://rhhsbestbuddies.wixsite.com/home

Room: Varies

Day: Varies

Time: Varies

Contact: Marni Rosenbaum and Roo Saglimbeni - marni_rosenbaum@hcpss.org and roo_saglimbeni@hcpss.org

The River Hill Biology Club provides members the opportunity to engage with scientists working on cutting-edge research in biological subfields, participate in biology competitions such as the USA Biology Olympiad, and assist students who are currently taking biology.

Room: 251 

Day: Every Other Thursday

Time: 2:15-4:00

Contact: Shelly Chamness Shelly_Chamness@hcpss.org

The mission of the Black Leadership Union is to explore African and African American experiences and culture through discussion, cultivate a collective student voice and promote leadership and service opportunities.

Room: 

Day:

Time: 

Our club practices breakdancing every Tuesday and Thursday. We learn how to incorporate moves into dance battles and freestyle. We perform for school and community events such as River Hill's Winter Dance Concert, Hill Fest, and Angel's Network Talent Show.

Room: Mini Theatre

Day: Weekly meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays 

Time: 2:10-3:30

Contact: Mrs. Gurvich or Mr. Mccready 

We will choose a book per month to read, and then meet up to discuss our thoughts, analyze the story, and talk about books in general. Our club seeks to promote reading among students, create a welcoming environment for members to share their opinions, and connecting through a diverse selection of stories.

Room: media center

Day: Monthly meetings

Time: After School

Contact: Bailey Shagogue 

The Comedy Improv Act is a group for students who want to learn and practice improv, which involves performing scenes made up on the spot. It is also a fun place for students to de-stress and make friends.

Room: 218

Day: Friday

Time: 2:15-3:00

Contact: Jocelyn Martin

Room: 205

Day: Wednesday

Time: 2:15-4:00

Contact: Rachael Schultz Rachael_Schultz@hcpss.org

Eco Club

Group takes care of the School's recycling bins.

Room: 117

Day: First and Third Wesdesdays

Time: 2:15-2:40

Educators Rising is a national organization that supports students and education professionals. Students are encouraged to network and compete at national levels. Field trips are a part of club participation and competitions are optional.

Room: 151A

Day: Wednesday

Time: Hawk Time

We are going to teach/learn the fundamental principles of competitive eSports, as well as having a good time (The games in question are League of Legends and Fortnite, which by the ESRB board are classified as 13+)

Room: Journalism

Day: Wednesday

Time: 2:15-3:00

Contact: Wayne Tromble Wayne_Tromble@hcpss.org

River Hill Film and Photography club teaches about different aspects of the arts. Students will have opportunities to participate in photo shoots, photo challenges, films, editing, and much more.

Room: Journalism

Day: Wednesday

Time: 2:15-3:00

FBLA is the premier organization for students preparing for careers in business and the largest student business organization in the world with a quarter of a million members. FBLA prepares students for "real-world" professional experiences. Members gain the competitive edge for college and career success. For more information, please visit http://www.rhfbla.org/

Room: Workshops: Media, Hawk Time: 142
Day: Workshops: Varies, Hawktime: Wednesdays
Time: Workshops: Varies, Hawktime

Future Doctors of America is a club for students who are interested in going into the medical field. They can share internship/volunteering opportunities, participate in talks by physicians, and share information about medicine.

Room: 251

Day: Wednesday

Time: 2:15-3:15pm

Are you a member or ally of the LGBTQ+ community? Come join Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA for short)! The club is dedicated to creating a safe space for anyone of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as their allies, and discusses weekly topics related to the LGBTQ+ community.

Room: 208

Day: varies

Time: After School

Teacher Sponsor: Mr. McKibben christopher_mckibben@hcpss.org
Student Point of Contact: Alex Luo alexbluo01@gmail.com
Description of your Club/Activity: Hack the Hill is River Hill High School's first hackathon, which is an event/competition where participants create tech projects which are judged for prizes. The event will run for 36 hours over a weekend in April, offering participants the opportunity to connect with the community and apply their computer science skills. Workshops and side-events such as a spicy ramen eating contest, s'mores, chess/soccer tournaments, and (several) boba and cookie breaks will be available throughout the event alongside free food and swag. Participants of all ages, educational levels, and backgrounds are encouraged to come. A diverse organizing team is needed in order to gain support from sponsors, create graphic designs, reach out to potential participants, organize workshops, and manage logistics. The organizing team will participate in activities such as holding fundraisers, creating the hackathon's website, and meeting weekly to coordinate efforts.
Mission Statement:
Hack the Hill provides students with the opportunity to apply their skills in software development while connecting with a community of like-minded problem solvers over the course of a 36-hour event.
 

Room: TV Studio

Day: Every Day

Time: Beginning of 3rd Period

Contact: Michael Ahr Michael_Ahr@hcpss.org

HAWKappella consists of two pop/a cappella groups (Talon Tones/Leading Ladies) that sing around RHHS and the Clarksville community.

Room: 207

Day: Tuesday

Time: 4:00-6:00

To teach and train young athletes the fundamentals of the sport of ice hockey and to provide an opportunity for interscholastic competition between them and their cross-county peers. Contact Jose Valdesuso (joeav@verizon.net) for more information. The Ice Hawks are a private organization which is not affiliated or sponsored by the Howard County Public School System or any Howard County Public School.

Room: Lab 136

Day: Thursday

Time: 2:10-3:15 

Contact: Michael Krouse Michael_Krouse@hcpss.org

The It's Academic club at RHHS competes at numerous quiz bowl tournaments throughout the year, where participants answer questions covering a broad range of subjects, from history to chemistry and even to sports. These competitions test not only your depth of knowledge in certain areas, but also your ability to buzz quickly, similar to Jeopardy. It's Academic itself is a televised academic quiz bowl competition aired on CBS. Every year, our club sends a team of three top players to compete against other teams in the area. Anyone who enjoys trivia or competition, regardless of skill level, is welcome to join us at our weekly meetings, where we practice with buzzers and answering questions. If you're interested in what types of questions are offered at tournaments, check out the hsquizbowl.org for free tournament packets and a forum on high school quiz bowl with many resources devoted to it. Refreshments (donuts/cookies/sodas) are provided at each meeting.

Room: 232

Day: Tuesday

Time: 2:10-3:30

Room: 145

Day: Friday

Time: 2:10-3:15

Contact: Jesse Childress Jesse_Childress@hcpss.org

Man in the Mirror is a service club that focuses on hands-on volunteering. Events include blankets and bracelets, Grassroots thanksgiving dinner, Giving Tree, Ronald McDonald House, and more.Fro more information, please visit http://maninthemirrorrhhs.weebly.com/

Room: Varies

Day: Monday

Time: Varies

Our Math Team is a member of Howard County Math League (HCML) and participates in eight HCML competitions each year. Our focus is to practice high level mathematics problems to prepare for Howard County Math Team competitions. Math Team allows students to engage in friendly interaction with other students from River Hill High School, as well as the other high schools in Howard County. The students become engaged in higher-level critical thinking and problem solving skills, while at the same time helping RHHS in competition against neighboring schools in the county. All students are welcome to join, as there is no mathematical prerequisite for membership. Mathematical topics covered will range from Algebra 1/Data Analysis through Trigonometry. One Wednesday a month the team travels to a competition- students return to school at around 5:00. Students are not required to attend county meets to be a part of the team.

Room: 256

Day: Wednesday

Time: 2:15-3:00

The purpose of the Mock Trial Team is to provide extensive knowledge on the subject of law and debate. It will also provide knowledge on important aspects of public advocacy and speaking, especially in cases of criminal trials. Furthermore, it will instill a sense of challenge and constant rebuff against their point of view. It will enhance a student's ability to understand the rights, processes and procedures involved in both real and simulated court trials. Student Membership: Anyone is eligible to become a member of the Mock Trial Team.

Room: 232

Day: Monday and Wednesday

Time: 2:10-3:30

The Model UN is an organization that promotes international awareness and peaceful conflict resolution by giving students the opportunity to participate in conferences held at various universities and high schools. It simulates the United Nations, where delegates engage in research of historical and current international issues, write proposals, resolve conflicts, and engage in debates with fellow conference attendees. Not only do students gain memorable experiences, they can gain knowledge in the areas of history, geography, culture, economics and science, which supplement the school curricula, providing them with a well-rounded education.

Room: Journalism

Day: Wednesday

Time: Hawk Time

The River Hill MSA strives to achieve excellence and focuses its time on establishing the prescence of the Muslim community at River Hill. We aim to work with other clubs at RHHS to form stronger bonds between us and the River Hill community.

Room: 120

Day: Friday

Time: 2:10-3:00

Room: 215 

Day: Wednesday

Time: 2:10-2:45

Contact: Caroline Appel Caroline_Appel@hcpss.org

Jacob Cecil Jacob_Cecil@hcpss.org

Jenifer Smith Jennifer_E_Smith@hcpss.org

National English Honor Society works to promote literacy in our community; stresses the importance of writing, language, and communication; fosters creativity through writing; and leads English-related events in the school.

Room: 234

Day: Varying Wednesdays

Time: Hawk Time

Contact: Diane Curry; Diane_curry@hcpss.org

Room: General Meetings: Cafe, Officers’ Meetings: 123/223

Day: General Meetings: One Wednesday a Month, Officers’ Meetings: Tuesday

Time: General Meetings: 7:00pm-8:00pm, Officers’ Meetings: 2:10-3:30

Contact: Callie Casper Callie_Casper@hcpss.org

Sarah Tokar Sarah_Tokar@hcpss.org

Room: Mini Theatre

Day: Once a Month on Wednesday

Time: Hawk Time

Contact: Sallie Byrd, Sallie_Byrd@hcpss.org

Room: 132

Day: Third Wednesday during Hawk Time and Thursday after school. 

Time: Hawk Time on Wednesday, 2:15-2:45 on Thursday

Physics Olympiad is a team that prepares to participate in the Howard County Physics Olympics and the Central Maryland Physics Olympics at Liberty High School.

Room: 149

Day: First Thursday of the Month

Time: 2:10-3:30

Contact: Zina Gurvich Zina_Gurvich@hcpss.org

Come after school on Mondays to be a part of the RHHS Ping Pong Squad. Whether you are an advanced player or a beginner, all are welcome.

Room: Outside of the Cafe

Day: Monday

Time: 2:10-3:00

Contact: Kelley Pfefferkorn Kelley_Pfefferkorn@hcpss.org

POMS is a group of competitive dancers that perform during football and basketball half-time shows. Our Team also competes in competitions across the area during the winter season. Tryouts for the new team are held each year in May.

Coach: Kayla Clancy: kayla_clancy@hcpss.org

Room: 245

Day: Thursday

Time: 2:10-3:00

Contact: Chad Boothe Chad_Boothe@hcpss.org

Brings together students who enjoy Rubik's cubes and puzzles.

Room: 133

Day: Fridays

Time: 2:10 pm-3 pm

In this club, students will prepare for the National Science Bowl competitions in teams of 4 or 5.

Room: 251

Day: Varies

Time: Varies

River Hill Science Olympiad strives to bring like-minded students together. Under the guidance of adult mentors and experienced peers, these high schoolers spend countless hours preparing for STEM-based challenges and events at local invitationals as well as regional & state competitions.

Room: 155

Day: Tuesday

Time: 2:10-4:00pm

SGA Class of 2023 is a group of individuals who work to put events together for the senior class.

Day: Varies

Time: Varies

Contact: Meghan Meyer; Meghan_Meyer@hcpss.org

Tina Burchick, Christina_Burchick@hcpss.org

Contact:Erica Stern, Erica_Stern@hcpss.org

Janine Sharbaugh, Janine_Sharbaugh@hcpss.org

Day: Varies

Time: Varies

Contact: Dulce Souidi, Dulce_Souidi@hcpss.org

Eliana Ayoub, Eliana_Ayoub@hcpss.org

The River Hill High School Student Government Association is a fun way to get involved in events at RHHS, as well as in the community. Student Government organizes all student events (such as Homecoming), plans fundraisers for the student body, and acts as an advocacy group on behalf of River Hill High School's students. SGA is made up of members from each athletic team, club, grade level and cultural background. Some of our goals for the year include increasing school spirit, increasing communication between the administration and student body, having successful fundraisers that will benefit different charities, and implementing programs to increase awareness of distracted driving. The Executive Board meets weekly to discuss and plan activities. We participate in an SGA conference in Ocean City, MD which provides great leadership and networking opportunities. The highlight however, is the planning and executing the RHHS Homecoming theme, pep rally and dance.

We perform for senior citizens at local retirement communities on the weekends.

Room: Band Room

Day: Mondays

Time: 2:30 pm-3:30 pm

Debate is a formal discussion on a topic, consisting of a resolution or notion that two people or groups can argue. The discussion is comprised of evidence and analytical arguments with the objective or purpose of winning the argument in front of a judge. We are a student-led group passionate about communication and competition. We teach, practice and compete the following forensics and debate formats: Public Forum and Lincoln Douglas debates, oratory, interpretation, impromptu speaking, and others. We participate in monthly local tournaments as part of the Baltimore Catholic Forensic League (BCFL). Students who compete also become members of the National Speech and Debate Honor Society, or the National Forensics League (NFL). Public Forum Forensics is the term given to competitive speech and debate activity. Our award-winning Forensics Team is currently comprised of approximately 10 students in grades nine through twelve.

Room: Media Lab

Day: Tuesday

Time: 2:15-3:30 

Room: Mini Theater

Day: Tuesday and Thursday

Time: 2:15-4:00

The Scholars Leadership Program's (formerly Delta Scholars) mission is to identify qualified girls, especially African American high school girls (10-12), to actively participate in program planning and execution, support fellow Scholars, and to become involved in the community by carrying out the vision of The Scholars Leadership Program.

The vision of the partnership between the Columbia (MD) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Howard County Board of Education is to provide encouragement for students to excel academically, be given assistance in setting goals and planning for their future, while offering opportunities for leadership through educational workshops, cultural workshops and community service for identified students in tenth through twelfth grade.

Room: 219

Day: Wednesday

Time: Hawk Time

Contact: Mrs. Allen DAllen@hcpss.org

Room: 207/208

Day: Varies

Time: Varies

Contact: Richard McCready Richard_McCready@hcpss.org

We play tournament ultimate frisbee against other self-organized teams around the county. There are no restrictions, all ages and genders are welcome.

Room: Practice Field

Day: Thursday

Time: 2:15-3:40

Contact: Anthony Cipro Anthony_Cipro@hcpss.org

Description

Co-ed volleyball usually on grass, 2v2s, 3v3s, 6v6s, and etc.

Mission Statement

We provide a space where students can come to play volleyball, refine volleyball skills, and have fun.

Contact Information

Sponsor Contact Information: Sybil Kessinger - sybil_modispacher@hcpss.org

Student Point of Contact: Michael Liu JR - mliu2094@inst.hcpss.org & Andy Xiong andysunnyx@gmail.com

Come to Room 240 During Hawk Time to participate in creative writing with other like-minded writers! Any grade level is welcome to the Writers Guild Club!

Room: 240

Day: Wednesday

Time: Hawk Time

Young Democrats Club

The Young Democrats is a student-run club that explores and evaluates the principles of the Democratic Party. Members meet weekly to discuss current events and work to become involved in the political process. Students participate in lively discussions, listen to guest speakers, interview political candidates, and participate in informal debates.

Room: 233

Day: Thursday

Time: 2:10-3:00pm

Contact: Jessica Nichols Jessica_Nichols@hcpss.org