Clubs & Activities

Students examine the biographies of eleven 20th century presidents who offer an intimate and compelling look at the men who have defined and re-defined the modern presidency, and who led the country through some of the most turbulent and consequential moments in our nation's history.

Come hang out and make some art! Materials are provided for collage, watercolor, and drawing. Project suggestions will be provided each week, but students can bring their own projects (journals, scrapbooks, etc.) as well. This activity provides a chance to unwind at the end of the day by doing something creative.

In our Current Events/Debate Activity, students will choose issues of interest - whether they be local, state, national, or international problems. We will conduct research, discuss and debate, always modeling civility in our discourse.

Spaces available are open by lottery to any 8th, 7th and 6th grade students who are interested in participating. This activity meets three times per week on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Students will go to Blue Hills for hiking and a chance to explore the great outdoors! The activity will run rain or shine.

If you like to read for fun and want to spend activity period reading a pleasure book (i.e., nothing for school - no homework!), we will just get together and read during activity periods.

This activity is for those who enjoy playing poker and rummy – among other card games. Participants must want to further develop the skills and strategies involved in order to become sharper players.

Students play in round-robin tournaments and learn more about the “Game of Kings.”

We will learn to write HTML and CSS code for the development of websites, and we will continue to learn languages such as Javascript, Ruby and Python.

In this activity, students will learn the strategic game of Cribbage as well as the simple math skills needed to keep track of the score.

Take part in in-depth discussions on topics in the news and in team competitions to see who has been paying attention!

Put together the video for your class that will be presented at the 8th grader dinner in May! Photos and videos will be compiled with songs to make the class video truly unique and memorable.

Help create the middle school yearbook, Evergreen. This club is great for students who enjoy photography, drawing, writing, planning, organizing and working on the computer.

Learn how to modify your freshwater and or saltwater lures to attract more strikes. What are the different types of fishing lines? What situation is best for what type of line? Any other topics on fishing techniques are open to be discussed.

Learn all about the game's Xs and Os and techniques. We will watch Thayer varsity game video, which has been upgraded to digital technology. In addition, we will watch a great deal of college games and practice tape.

Girls Who Code is a program that aims to equip young girls with the necessary programming and coding skills to pursue a career in computer science. The club's curriculum includes programming video games, robots, and much more.

This is a yearlong activity for 8th grade girls. GWAC emphasizes self-esteem building, character development, team building, leadership skills, social skills and contributing to community.

This activity is for students who want to sing and dance and who also enjoy the hard work (and fun) of putting together a performance.

Learn to golf or just improve your skills. Students will also get the chance to play 9 holes after school.

KanJam is a frisbee game that combines elements from horseshoes, curling, and an alley-oop slam-dunk contest. While frisbee skills certainly put one at an advantage, no frisbee experience is required. The only pre-requisite is an eagerness to play the game and have fun each day.

Magic: The Gathering is a trading card game that involves strategy and a little luck . In Magic you play the role of a powerful wizard fighting against other wizards for glory, knowledge, and conquest.

Students participate in this nationwide math contest for students in grades 6 – 8 that includes in-person competitions in all 50 states.

Just like the game show! Students have 60 seconds to complete fun challenges, which progress in difficulty as the game goes on.

OMEGA (Organization for Minority Enrichment, Growth & Awareness) promotes and supports diversity at Thayer.

Not Tennis! Not Ping Pong! Learn how to play this fun paddle sport for all ages and skill levels.

In this activity we will create beautiful ornamental eggs out of a simple white egg. “Pysanky” eggs are a Ukrainian tradition that dates back thousands of years.

We will listen to rap/hip-hop from the ages, critically consider lyrics as poetry and even create lyrics of our own. If you enjoy lyricism, rhythm and unity, this activity should appeal to you.

Do your part to stop waste at Thayer Academy. Students develop and implement a comprehensive recycling program in the Middle School and throughout the community.

The Robotics Activity will allow students to continue to develop their programming skills as they tackle new challenges. Students will be assigned a robot that they can build to complete fun and exciting challenges and competitions with their peers.

In this activity, students will learn about a popular form of writing-- the screenplay. We will table read real Hollywood scripts and learn how to write in the style of a screenwriter. A great activity for movie buffs, readers, writers and actors.

Students will select 1-2 books to read as a group without the worry of due date, active reading notes, or assignments. We will read during half of the period and we will discuss the novels the second half. Food for your soul and for your belly, because we will also have snacks!

Help produce the student newspaper through writing of all kinds, photography, working with graphics (including digital imaging), scanning, drawing and other layout projects.

The ultimate Frisbee club meets for moderately competitive but fun Frisbee matches. All skill levels and grade levels (including faculty) participate.

Sign up for the most popular backyard game of all time. Teams will be picked at the beginning of each activity period and play for about three innings. This coed game will be fun for everyone, even if you have no experience.

In this activity, students will practice yoga poses and learn about how yoga can help to manage stress and increase strength and flexibility. Students will also practice other relaxation and stress-reducing techniques including guided meditations, nature walks, and drawing/coloring. No prior yoga experience is necessary, but we do ask that you come with an open mind and a willingness to try new things!