AMS Clubs and Academic Teams
| Activity and Sponsor | Grades | About | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builder’s Club Erin Bettazza erin.bettazza@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Students learn about community service and leadership | second and fourth Wednesdays 7:40-8:30am |
| Cemetary Club Di Sheldon dianna.sheldon@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Keep cemeteries clean for future generations. Learn how to clean headstones and raise sinking stones so that other generations can enjoy them. | No physical meetings- Join via Google Classroom. code- fq35hw6 |
| Chess Club Carisa Danielson carisa.danielson@ames.k12.ia.us Chess Club Google Classroom | 6, 7, 8 | “Initially, every chess grandmaster was a novice.” | Wednesdays 4:00-5:00pm and Thursdays during lunch |
| Cyclone Leadership Club Jennifer Haglund jennifer.haglund@ames.k12.ia.us Amber Upah amber.upah@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Student government body whose objective is to convey the wishes of the student body and the co-presidents’ plans to the administration. | |
| Drama Club Emily Young emily.young@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Learn about theater and try out for the school play. | M, W, F 4:00-5:30pm |
| Dungeons and Dragons Club Eon Lyles eon.lyles@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Wednesdays 4:00-5:30pm | |
| FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Dagney Paskach dagney.paskach@ames.k12.ia.us AMS FLL WEBSITE | 6, 7, 8 | International robotics competition that gives students the opportunity to build and program a LEGO SPIKE Prime robot and design an innovative solution to a real-world problem. | See website for details |
| Math Counts Matt Mattocks matthew.mattocks@ames.k12.ia.us Lauren Booten lauren.booten@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Mathcounts is a national middle school mathematics competition that builds problem-solving skills and fosters achievement through four levels of fun, in-person “bee” style contests. Students in the club will work through problem sets to practice. Our school’s team will compete at the chapter competition and possibly qualify for state. AMS has an amazing track record at chapter and sends many kids to the state competition each year. If you like math, this is the club for you!. | T and Th 7:35-8:25 or 3:50-4:40 |
| Math Olympiad TBA | 6 | “Explore mathematical concepts while developing flexibility in solving non-routine problems with multiple solution paths” (MOEMS). | |
| Mock Trial Peggy Michelotti peggy.michelotti@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | An interscholastic competition that teaches about the legal process, critical thinking, and public speaking by studying a case provided by the Iowa Bar Association and competing regionally with other schools to try the case in front of judges. | |
| National History Day Steph Schares steph.schares@ames.k12.ia.us AMS NHD website | 6, 7, 8 | Annual project-based contest allowing students to read, analyze, and synthesize historical information. | Thursdays during Homeroom |
| National Junior Art Honor Society (NJAHS) Cappie Dobyns cappie.dobyns@ames.k12.ia.us Nin-JAHS WEBSITE | 7, 8 | Provides visual artists with opportunities to explore personal artistic and creative passions while utilizing their talents to serve the community, within a fellowship of creative peers. | See website for details |
| NBA Math Hoops Katrina Williams katrina.williams@ames.k12.is.us | 6, 7, 8 | Ames Middle School is fortunate to have the opportunity to start an NBA Hoops League at AMS. | Wednesdays 7:30-8:20am |
| Prism Steph Schares steph.schares@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | A place to support, connect, and advocate within the LGBTQIA+ community. Weekly digital meetings are open to all grades. | Mondays during Homeroom |
| Science Bowl Jordan DiLorenzo jordon.dilorenzo@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Science Trivia challenge that promotes. scientific reasoning, teamwork and collaborative academic strategies. | |
| Science Olympiad Mary Glenn mary.glenn@gmail.com Kerri Marsh kerri.marsh@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | An interscholastic academic science team of 15 students competes in pairs in 23 different events for all disciplines of science and engineering. | |
| Student Ambassadors Jennifer Haglund jennifer.haglund@ames.k12.ia.us Rachel Krofta rachel.krofta@ames.k12.ia.us | 6, 7, 8 | Help new students feel welcome. Ambassadors receive training each year to develop skills that help them connect with new students. | |
| Sixth Grade Art Club Heather Walker heather.walker@ames.k12.ia.us | 6 | We will do art activities, get to know other artists, and just enjoy some extra art-making time. All 6th grade students are welcome! You can join anytime. | Fridays 8:00-8:35am |
| Writer’s Den Steph Schares steph.schares@ames.k12.ia.usGC Join Code: dx7uo6x | 6, 7, 8 | A place to connect with other creators. Share your writing, read others’ writing, and meet new friends! Most interactions will be held asynchronously. | Mondays 3:45-4:45 |