In the bustling hallways and chaotic chatter of Arcadia High School (AHS), a new club has folded its way to become one of the chartered clubs of AHS. This semester, AHS was lucky enough to charter its very own Origami Club for origami enthusiasts or beginners.
The art of origami can take up to anywhere from five minutes if you’re making a simple jumping frog and up to days if you’re trying to make 3D figurines of animals; the creations it brings are endless. Origami was first practiced by monks from Japan in the 6th century and used to decorate temples and shrines. Today, it is a skillful craft that’s enjoyed and appreciated by countless people around the world.
Created by junior President Zachary Sakti, the Origami Club made a significant mark by spreading the art of origami amongst the students. The club’s primary objective is not only to nurture and expose the students towards the art of origami, but also the rich history behind this exquisite craft .
“We wanted to make a club that was fun, creative, stress free and didn’t require any outside knowledge to participate in,” stated Sakti, “and to teach people how Origami is integrated into our society.
Club members meet every Tuesday in C-112, Ms. Robin Bishop’s room, where they are met with slideshows that provide fun facts about origami, informative videos on how origami is incorporated into daily life, and quizzes so that club members can earn candy!
“I think this is such a great club, I love how it’s not academic and people can come in and just do arts and crafts kind of things,” said Ms. Bishop when asked about why she became the advisor.
Each meeting, the officer introduces a new origami model and provides instructions on how to fold it step by step, utilizing simple basic techniques such as the waterbomb and bird base.
“They’re very beginner friendly and you can definitely build on them to create more complex models in the future,” stated junior Vice President Swarit Srivastava when asked to elaborate on the techniques.
Currently, members are learning how to fold different animals like cranes and frogs.
“We started with the heart because it has basic folds that don’t require difficult methods, and then we started building upon our skills by incorporating the waterbomb base from the butterfly model into the next model which was a frog,” said Sakti.
By learning easy technical skills that are essential in all origami, members are able to build on skills that they learned from previous meetings.
“This club has a really nice atmosphere, and it’s very welcoming, and it’s a good place to be during lunch,” stated senior Peter Zhang when asked about his thoughts on the environment.
Another fellow member also provided a positive perspective about the club.
“It’s a very fun and relaxing club, there is not anything stressful about it, and origami is very fun to do,” stated freshman Jacob Loh.
It’s undeniable that the Origami Club provides a nice, welcoming atmosphere for all of their members, especially those seeking respite from the demanding academic environment at AHS. So if you’re in the mood for some creativity or you’re trying to discover a new hobby, Origami Club might just be the place for you!
Photo Courtesy of Kayley Nam
