After School Activities
Activities
Current After school activities offered at Nelsen are:
Anime Club
Do you love anime? Join anime club to watch and talk about your favorite ones. shane.kimura@rentonschools.us
Art Club
Art Club will focus on a community art project. While we are still working individually at home, we will come together to design and create a collaborative outdoor public display (TBD). We will be working with The city of Renton Neighborhoods Program and the professional Artist and Muralist Mari Shibuya, to conceive of a creation to enhance our own school grounds, and perhaps the surrounding neighborhood. We will be creative in how we work together to combine our art into a group work to enhance our community while we build it within. sheri.stephens@rentonschools.us
Dungeons & Dragons Club
Whether you are an experience adventurer or just setting out for the first time, welcome to the official Nelsen Dungeons & Dragons club! Join us on our quest! ann.bucher@rentonschools.us
Friend Club
Come join a club that gives strategies to making friends to middle school students. Part of our time together is suggestions to be a good friend and the other part is going to a breakout room with a couple other students and talk to peers socially. Leeanne.bates@rentonschools.us
Maker Club
Your imagination is the limit! Come to Maker club to see what you can make! Robert.mullins@rentonschools.us
Meditation Monday's
Have you been feeling anxious or worried? Are you having trouble concentrating or getting irritated easily? Meditation may be the answer for you! Clinical studies have shown that just 8 weeks of meditation increases learning, memory, compassion, better control over your emotions, and lowers stress and anxiety. This 10-week club will cover the benefits of meditation, how to practice meditation and moving meditation (think yoga), and you will leave each class feeling more relaxed and focused. The first 9 participants who sign up will receive their own yoga kit which includes a yoga mat, strap, blocks, and towel. emily.gray@rentonschools.us
Science Club
When asked what science club will be about: “The direction that the club takes would largely be determined by the interests of the students. I had a student who wanted a STEM club as a way to learn more about science in the real world and another student who wanted to start a geology/rock collecting club. This is a club that I think will be able to take off more in-person, but I wanted to be able to offer students who are interested in STEM an avenue to pursue their interests. ann.bucher@rentonschools.us
Spirit Club
Gather together to discuss different ways to bring the NMS community together through school spirit and more! Lauren.clark@rentonschools.us
Video Game Club
Join us to play free games like Among Us, Rocket League, Minecraft, and more!! Ross.pumplun@rentonschools.us and Jenifer.Pollard@rentonschools.us
Writing Club
If you enjoy writing then this club is for you! Nichelle.miyakoshi@rentonschools.us
Monday:
- Friend Club
- Meditation Mondays
- Science Club
- Spirit Club
- Video Game Club
Tuesday:
- Dungeons and Dragons Club
- Friend Club
- Maker Club
- Video Game Club
- Writing Club
Thursday:
- Animae Club
- Art Club Maker Club
- Video Game Club
- Writing Club
Spirit Club: Teacher Spotlight
Ms. West
MS. WEST
What’s your favorite movie?
“This one's a hard one; it changes all the time. Titanic, The Notebook and Anastasia are favorites, but I also love anything animated and/or on Disney+. I am not into scary movies.”
How Old are you Ms. West?
“Still gripping onto my 20s as long as I can at 29!”
What made you want to be a teacher?
“I had incredible role models. I come from a family of teachers and grew up working within different schools. I used to be "voluntold" (by my mom) to help out in her teacher friends' classrooms and so it just always felt very natural to me. I put up my first bulletin board by myself when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I originally thought I was going to move to New York City and become a Broadway star, but the teacher in me chose a different path.”
What is your favorite childhood memory?
“My favorite childhood memory is back when I was like 10 or 11 and I went out in the boat fishing with my dad and sister. It was a really odd day, and the weather was crazy. We weren't catching anything and so we decided to call it quits and head home when a school of bait fish started running around our boat (you could see that something big was chasing them because the little bait fish were jumping all over the place). I was just sitting there watching them jump around when a huge pompano (which is what we were fishing for) jumped into our boat and landed right in my lap. I remember holding it up in my arms and saying "Hey, Dad, I caught one!" which of course shocked everyone in the boat. My sister and I then argued because she believed I should throw it back since it wasn't a fair fight and I wanted to keep it because it was obviously fate. We kept it, took my picture with it - which was hanging on the wall of our local bait shop for years until the hurricane tore it down - brought the fish home, and it tasted terrible.”
What are your pets names?
“I have one floofy cat named Theodore (Theo) Who I just adore”
Drawing or Painting?
“Both, and I also love pottery, too!”
What is your favorite color?
“Purple usually, sometimes blue”
How tall are you?
“5’5ish”
What’s your favorite holiday?
“My favorite holiday is Christmas. I love that my family gets to be together for it and we keep old traditions of my sisters' and my childhood alive.”
When is your birthday?
“January 21st; an Aquarius through and through.”
What’s your favorite food?
“Depends on the day and who's cooking it, but I love pasta of all kinds. I am also a fan of French fries (we have a firm No Fry Left Behind policy in my house) and Toaster Strudels.”
What’s your favorite meal of the day?
“Dessert”
Favorite place you’ve ever been?
“Aruba, I think. My sister was teaching there when I was 16 so I got to visit for spring break one year. It was so much fun! We went scuba diving, and I got a massive sunburn that turned into sun poisoning, but it was worth it! I have been to almost every state in the U.S. but have not had the chance to do much internationally, so traveling more outside the U.S. is on my bucket list.”
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?
“Italy and Hawaii are at the top of my list right now.”
Spongebob or Squidward?
“Spongebob for sure, although as an adult I am beginning to understand where Squidward might be coming from.”
Thanks Ms. West!!
Ms. Shain
MS. SHAIN
Where are you from?
“Issaquah, WS
Where did you go to college?
Central Washington University-GO Wildcats!
When is your birthday?
May 18-Mount Saint Helen’s Day!
How old are you?
28 years young!
What is your favorite color?
The same as my hair-Purple!
What is your favorite movie?
Easy-Wall-E! I may have had Wall-E sheets on my bed well into High School
Have you ever ridden a unicycle?
Once, as a kid in PE. Never again. Once was definitely enough!
What came first: The chicken or the egg?
Duh, the egg. The chickey had to come from somewhere.
Sweet or Salty?
SWEET! I dare you to find anyone with a bigger sweet tooth than me.
What’s your spirit animal?
A house cat. Sleeping and eating all day? Sign me up.
If you could choose any animal as a pet, what would it be?
A miniature giraffe like in the Sprint commercials.
Who is your favorite actor?
Morgan Freeman! I don’t care if it’s just his voice narrating a documentary. If Freeman is in it, I’m watching it.
What made you want to be a teacher?
I had experiences with a lot of different math teachers growing up, some better than others. Some years I would love math and do really well, then other years I would hate the subject and do poorly. I even failed math once in High School. Eventually, I realized the teacher had the greatest influence on whether I enjoyed math or not. As an adult, I’ve become really passionate about math. Now, it’s my goal to foster a love of math in as many students as possible!
What’s your favorite hobby?
I’m actually somewhat of a gamer. If I’m not sitting at my computer or walking my doggo then you’ll find me in front of the Xbox. I even bought a projector so I can play while my husband watches TV! I’m also really into Kayaking and go-kart, but our Washington weather doesn’t let that happen very much. :(
Club Highlights
Spirit Week
SPIRIT WEEK
WHEN IS SPIRIT WEEK?
March 15th - 19th
WHAT IS SPIRIT WEEK?
Themed Dress Up!
HOW CAN STUDENTS DRESS UP WHEN THEY DO NOT USE THEIR CAMERAS?
Students can show school spirit through cameras or by changing their profile pictures on Zoom.
WHAT ARE THE THEMES THIS TRIMESTER?
Monday 3/15: Meme Day
Tuesday 3/16: Hoodie Day
Wednesday 3/17: Decades Day
Thursday 3/18: Disney Day
Friday 3/19: Pajama Day
CAN STAFF PARTICIPATE?
Yes. Please participate.
IS THERE A PRIZE INVOLVED?
Yes. During 4th period teachers will count students showing school spirit and complete a quick (less than 1 minute!) Google Form which will be sent out with more information. Classes with the most school spirit (through cameras or through Zoom pictures) will win something - TBA
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?
There will be a schoolwide Kahoot Tournament during Advisory on Friday, 3/19. Prizes will be given to top ranking students from each Advisory class. These students will move onto the next stage of the Tournament. More information to come about this!
Associated Student Body (ASB)