Did you know there are two great book clubs at Ripon High that you could be involved in? Anyone can join one or even both of these programs. The two clubs are Hooked on a Book and The Next Chapter. The advisor of Hooked on a Book is Mrs. Ochoa and the president is a student here, Grace Mikami, Junior, while the advisor of The Next Chapter is Mr. Mayfeild, and the president is also a student here, David Wang, Junior.

“I started this club because I wanted to bring together my classmates by reading different books. I also wanted to create a place where many students could freely read on their time off while enjoying a club they don’t have to stress about,” said Grace Mikami, junior.

Hooked on a Book was just recently established this Spring in 2022. This club reads strictly fiction books that the students in the club vote on and read together each month. They usually meet once every month on the third Tuesday to discuss the book they are reading. The students pick the books they read through polls, after a month goes by and they have all finished the book, they meet and talk about it. By doing this, they are able to see each other’s different points of view and ask questions about the book. Sometimes they will even watch a movie or show about the book after finishing the read and compare it to the novel.

“Grace Mikami is the club president and she wanted to create a club where students can read for fun without any strings attached,” said Mrs. Ochoa, teacher, and that is just what Mikami got.

The club is a safe place where you can just enjoy being able to read and discuss the book without it feeling like these readings are stressful assignments that you are forced to do. It is something you simply get to enjoy for fun.

“The books we read impact the other students in this club and myself because we talk about different subjects that many high school students can relate to while also going over how we are similar to the characters. Not only does it help us be able to discuss sensitive topics sometimes, but it gives students a little free time to enjoy reading outside of school. It lets their minds relax on more relatable topics,” said Mikami.

On the other hand, The Next Chapter was established around 2021 in the summer. During the summer a group of about ten students met at Mr. Mayfield’s house about four or five times and that is when they created their mission and vision for the club. They had their first meeting last semester and had a hard time getting going, but they established a proper system and are now meeting every two weeks. They even will have off-campus meetings every quarter to discuss the overall club and how it is going.  The students in The Next Chapter club can choose what they want to read, they have a huge diversity of books that the club pays for.

“I think the books impact the students because anyone who reads a book is going to grow, that’s part of our mission statement, to read, converse, connect and grow,” said Robert Mayfield, teacher.

The Next Chapter Club’s meeting usually consists of a book rotation where students will pair up and discuss their books. After that, they have a book presentation where they go over what happened in the book they read, ask for any analyses or questions, and discuss what they found interesting.

“This club impacted me because it helped me realize the value of reading again and to be able to connect with someone through a book. I feel like that is really important,” said David Wang, junior.

David Wang read so much in elementary school but when he got to high school he did not have much time to read. He interviewed students outside of the club and said that many other students felt the same and that is really why he wanted to start the club. 

Even though both the clubs have their differences, both of their main goals for the clubs are to get their students involved in reading, learning, and growing. They want these books that they read to impact their students in a positive way to get their brains flowing, without stressing them out as most reading assignments do.

“The books we read in our club allow students to escape reality and get to see the world through the eyes of diverse characters,” said Ochoa.