Student Groups & Clubs
A rich collection of activities provides opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, build a sense of community, recognize and respect differences, pursue specific interests and have fun.
Academics
- Amnesty International
- Anatomy Club
- BioMedical Sciences Club
- Business Club
- Ceramics Club
- Chess Club
- Classics Club
- Computer Science Club
- Current Events Club
- Debate Club
- Environmental & Ecology Club
- Film Club
- JBS MUN (JBS Model United Nations)
- Math Club
- Middle School Model UN
- Mock Trial Team
- MUN Impact Club
- One Infectious Disease at a Time
- Philosophy Club
- Poetry Club
- Robotics
- S.L.A.M.U.N. (St. Louis Area Model United Nations)
- Sunrise JBS
- Super Mileage Vehicle Club
- Surfrider Club
- TED Club
- UNICEF
- Young Republicans Club
Amnesty International
Student leaders: Kalika Ivaturi and Will Friebel
Sponsor: Carrie Dodson-Ching
Mission: Amnesty International is a global organization focused on advocating for human rights. Our club focuses on advocating for humans rights and raising awareness, especially for campaigns that don't get talked about as much such as asylum seekers, indigenous peoples, freedom of expression, and more.
Anatomy Club
BioMedical Sciences Club
Business Club
Ceramics Club
Student Leaders: Annie Calhoun, Sydney Starks & Lizzie Wagner
Faculty Sponsor: Mike Gesiakowski
Mission: To provide enrichment for students beyond what they can experience within the classroom and expose the greater JBS community to the ceramic arts. This club provides students with the opportunity for further artistic achievement through planned club events such as Empty Bowls with Montgomery Plan, field trips to museums and local ceramic artist's studios, and to build camaraderie with fellow student artists.
Chess Club
Classics Club
Computer Science Club
Current Events Club
Debate Club
Environmental & Ecology Club
Film Club
JBS MUN (JBS Model United Nations)
Participants: Applications due in October
Faculty Sponsors: Shannon Koropchak & Andrew Newman
Mission: To promote the debate of and collaboration around complex international issues in accordance with the United Nations and the Sustainable Development Goals. We hope as well to work toward the resolutions of these lofty goals at the local level.
Math Club
Middle School Model UN
Mock Trial Team
MUN Impact Club
One Infectious Disease at a Time
Student Leader: Lucy Von Rohr
Faculty Sponsor: Martha Keeley
Mission: To give the opportunity for students to learn and hear from speakers about infectious disease and public health. The goal of this club is to get those interested and curious a chance to learn about a field of science that helps the world. It is a club dedicated to learning about a new infectious disease every meeting with the help of guest speakers to learn about different infectious disease’s history, biology, impact, previous epidemics and pandemics, current treatments, and for discussion how the disease is related to modern day and how humans should have responded or how they will in the future.
Philosophy Club
Poetry Club
Student Leader: Lily Yanagimoto
Faculty Sponsor: Joy Gebhardt
Mission: To raise student interest in and appreciation for the reading, writing and discussion of poetic work. The club will meet to discuss poems, poetic forms and creative movements by engaging in free-writing time in response to prompts and share works with peers.
Robotics
Student Leader: Arushi Katyal
Faulty Sponsor: Allen Chung
Mission: To participate in the FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics competition. FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded to inspire young peoples' interest and participation in science and technology. It provides unique opportunities for students to apply science, technology, engineering and math-related concepts and skills by competing in the FTC robotics program.
S.L.A.M.U.N. (St. Louis Area Model United Nations)
Student Leader: Sammie Lee
Faculty Sponsor: Jon Bang
Mission: To have students engage in a role-playing activity based on the operation of the United Nations by drafting resolutions, discussing assigned topics on current world events and voting on proposals. Participants will hear guest speakers and become knowledgeable about writing resolutions and planning debate procedures. Students from St. Louis area schools engage in three sessions of this Model UN at which time resolutions are heard, debated and voted on.
Sunrise JBS
Super Mileage Vehicle Club
Surfrider Club
TED Club
UNICEF
Young Republicans Club
Diversity
- Asian Culture Club
- CISI (Conversations Involving Student Identity) Club
- Diversity E.T.C.
- French Club
- GEO (Gender Equity Organization)
- GYLI (Global Youth Leadership Institute)
- Hispanic Culture Club
- Jewish Culture Club
- Middle School Diversity
- Political Action Club
- RISE (Race Intersectionality with Socioeconomic Status)
- Spectrum
- Stubborn Ounces
- World Religions Club
Asian Culture Club
Student Leaders: Vivienne Lu, Anyi Sun
Faculty Sponsor: Julie Shimabukuro
Mission: To increase awareness of Asian culture, country by country, through the study of the history, language, art, religion, music and food, and to help students gain a better understanding of how race and ethnicity inform identity.
CISI (Conversations Involving Student Identity) Club
Diversity E.T.C.
Faculty Sponsor: Martha Fischer
Mission: To instill the joy of living through the advancement of community. We believe that it is an integral part of education during these formative years to cultivate character and compassion by productive interaction. Welcoming all, regardless of background or opinion, Diversity E.T.C. strives to serve as a clearinghouse for ongoing, open discourse, with the goal of encouraging affinities within the Burroughs community. Functioning to enhance learning through formal meetings, informal conversations and planned activities, we are always striving to promote awareness and enrich consciousness.
French Club
GEO (Gender Equity Organization)
GYLI (Global Youth Leadership Institute)
Hispanic Culture Club
Jewish Culture Club
Middle School Diversity
Political Action Club
Student Leader: Yara Levin
Faculty Sponsor: Jamie Wagner
Mission: The Political Action Club focuses on developing the agency of students to affect positive change through the political process. Students will learn how to exercise advocacy actions such as writing politicians and decision-makers, calling the offices of these leaders, and lobbying these leaders directly in-person. The Political Action Club is open to individuals across the political spectrum to learn these skills and will help train groups and other clubs interested in political advocacy.
RISE (Race Intersectionality with Socioeconomic Status)
Student Leaders: Evan Harris, Jacquelyn Harris & Molly O'Brien
Faculty Sponsor: Andranique Harrison
Mission: To support discussion of issues relevant to the intersection of race and socioeconomic status, engaging in "revealing" activities that highlight inherent privilege, or lack thereof, by virtue of one's race of socioeconomic status.
Spectrum
Student Leaders: Will Friebel, Sofia Kisner & Brice Shearburn
Faculty Sponsors: Ellie DesPrez & Sarah Hasselman
Mission: To represent the LGBTQIA+ community in an effort to increase awareness of and safety for Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) in the Burroughs community. This is done by spreading information about various gender and sexuality identities through meetings, assembly speeches and events, as well as promoting response to any issues which may infringe upon the rights of those who identify as a GSM.
Stubborn Ounces
Editors-in-Chief: Meghna Kommu, Erin Lamping & Uma Rayani
Faculty Sponsor: Daniel Harris
Mission: To create a publication in the 'zine style, focusing on creating meaningful and respectful conversation among members of the JBS community on the topics of diversity and inclusion. It is a publication that is submission-based and includes all types of artistic expression.
World Religions Club
Health & Wellness
Publications
Bomber Beat
CRISIS
Gourmand
The Governor (Yearbook)
Editor-in-Chief: Liam Taylor
Faculty Sponsors: Mike Gesiakowski & Sorsha Maness
Mission: To have students work together from the beginning of the school year through March to produce a traditional yearbook called the Governor. Under the direction of the senior editors-in-chief, students are responsible for page layout, design, writing, editing and photography. Students work together during open meeting times and individually to complete these tasks.
The Moon
The Review
Editors-in-Chief: Eva Kappas & Teresa Jiang
Faculty Sponsor: Andy Chen
Mission: To promote visual arts and creative writing while collecting pieces for the annual publication of the student literary magazine, The Review. We host regular meetings to review nominations, which are open to all grade levels. In addition, The Review sponsors the annual Review Preview, a music and spoken word festival.
Works in Progress
Editor-in-Chief: Cate Kiley
Faculty Sponsors: Ellie DesPrez, Jill Donovan & Shannon Koropchak
Mission: To nurture and help showcase the creative writing and art of middle school students. Participants support each other as writers in after-school creative workshop gatherings, and help to edit and lay out the literary and art magazine Works in Progress: An Anthology of Middle School Creative Work at Burroughs.
The World
Editors-in-Chief: Sara Cao & Ava Teasdale
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Hasselman
Mission: To be a beacon of independent journalism and critical thinking at Burroughs. Our members will ask questions to spark candid, respectful conversations about topics both within our school and the global community and report about them accurately. We will not stop in our pursuit of objectivity and will be the microphone that amplifies student voices.
Service
- Aim High
- Animal Allies
- Best Buddies
- Extra Hands for ALS
- Global Aid Project
- Kids Against Cancer
- KIVA
- MakerSpace Club
- Montgomery Plan Committee
- Protecting our Patriots
- Sports for Charity (SPOFO)
- St. Louis Area Food Bank Club
- START
Aim High
Student Leaders: Arna Gowda, Natalie Richter & Sydney Williams
Faculty Sponsor: Imani Harris
Mission: To welcome students from any grade who have an interest in being a leader and friend to students who attend Aim High. Our mission is to provide assistance and leadership through monthly planned activities.
Animal Allies
Best Buddies
Extra Hands for ALS
Student Leaders: Ayah Hamed & Yara Levin
Faculty Sponsor: Marni Dillard
Mission: To provide assistance to people living with ALS throughout the St. Louis area. While in the homes of patients, students perform household chores that are difficult for people living with ALS. The club also raises money to help fund ALS research and participates in community-wide events that raise ALS awareness.
Global Aid Project
Kids Against Cancer
KIVA
Student Leaders: Isabel Cepeda, Meghna Kommu, Shivani LaBore, Simran LaBore, Sahana Madala & Liam Taylor
Faculty Sponsor: Laura Fogarty
Mission: To enable Burroughs students to help people in other countries by providing micro-loans to assist individuals around the world in growing small businesses. We focus on supporting single women building their independence. Burroughs students will raise money, then choose the people, causes and businesses they want to support.
MakerSpace Club
Student Leader: Vanessa Polk
Faculty Sponsor: Paul Salomon
Mission: To serve as an interest group for students in the Burroughs community who like to create things, to increase interest and awareness about the MakerSpace and provide educational sessions and to provide disadvantaged students from the broader St. Louis area with the the opportunity to access the Burroughs MakerSpace.
Montgomery Plan Committee
Student Leaders: Each activity is chaired by a different set of student leaders
Faculty Sponsor: Meghan Rathert
Mission: To promote social consciousness, cultivate relationships, foster empathy, and inspire lives of civic responsibility by compassionately engaging with the greater St. Louis community through volunteering and service
Protecting our Patriots
Sports for Charity (SPOFO)
St. Louis Area Food Bank Club
START
Student Leader: Brice Shearburn
Faculty Sponsor: Aaron Dowdall
Mission: Aids refugees in the St. Louis region through volunteering, providing assistance and fundraising activities. START gives students the chance to reach out and help refugees in our community and to genuinely interact with and help people who are struggling to rebuild their lives.
Student Life
- Cars and Coffee
- Climbing Club
- Fashion Club
- Guild of Geeks
- JBS ESports
- The MC (The Music Club)
- Ping Pong Club
- Puzzle Club
- Queer Reads
- Sixth Man Club
- Student Congress
- Student Court
Cars and Coffee
Climbing Club
Fashion Club
Guild of Geeks
Student Leaders: Ryan Fogarty, Lauren Inazu, Jack Parsons, David Rich & Rafe Rosario-Blake
Faculty Sponsor: Paul Salomon
Mission: To serve as a welcoming environment to promote awareness and increase participation in board games and a variety of other different media that are less popular. We strive to be inclusive in our activities, and, above all else, to simply have fun.
JBS ESports
The MC (The Music Club)
Student Leaders: Shalyla Danzie, Kennedy Holmes, Nyla Pruitt & Ryder Scully
Faculty Sponsor: Tim Baker
Mission: To create an opportunity for Burroughs students to connect through music and make new connections. Club meetings will consist of discussions about artists, producers, genres and performers.
Ping Pong Club
Puzzle Club
Student Leaders: Maaz Chohan, Camden Hosler, Dhruva Lahoti, Jack O'Brien & Ken Zheng
Faculty Sponsor: Michael Haveman
Mission: To bring students together through a common interest of solving puzzles suck as rubik cubes, jigsaw puzzles, wood puzzles and metal reasoning puzzles like slitherink and sudoku.
Queer Reads
Student Leader: Owen Front & Molly Magarian
Faculty Sponsors: Jessica Hunt & Kelly Sherman
Mission: Queer Reads will be an all-school book club focusing on queer novels (and graphic novels), mostly own-voices books (written by LGBTQQIAA+ people). We will have thoughtful discussions about the themes and characters of the book, as well as discussing larger issues the book brings up. You do not have to be a member of the LGBTQQIAA+ community to be a member of the club - it’s open to everyone regardless of identity or sexual orientation!
Sixth Man Club
Student Congress
Student Body President: Andy Zhang
Faculty Sponsors: Kate Grantham & Meridith Thorpe
Mission: To direct student organizations and help establish an understanding between students and other branches of the JBS community. It creates an atmosphere and a forum for the open discussion of school problems. Congress helps define and implement the JBS philosophy and is the main student vehicle to initiate change within the school. Past activities include the Dance Marathon, Movie Night, Commons Café and Field Day. All meetings are open to the student body. The Student Congress is comprised of the president of each class, Chief Justice of the Student Court, Student Body President and an appointed Chief of Staff.
Student Court
Chief Justice: Teddy Gillanders
Faculty Sponsors: Pete McKeown & Kate Ward
Mission: To hear cases arising from alleged violations of school rules. The Student Court is composed of ten students, including a chief justice, two seniors, one junior, one sophomore, one freshman, one eighth grader, two bailiffs and the court secretary. The Student Court offers the community unique opportunities for learning and developing fostered responsibility. Throughout the school year, the court meets weekly to discuss and process more than 500 cases and demonstrate some sophisticated judgments and creative punishments.