Juniors Jacob Svoysky and Jack Weitzner recently started a nature club that goes on hikes outside of school and is meant to be a place for students to relax.

“There were no clubs that embraced nature and gave an opportunity to relax from the stresses of life in the natural environment,” Svoysky said. “It is about being in nature and de-stressing.”

The club meets on Mondays during Community Time, where they advertise the club and plan future hikes. So far, the club has only had one hike that was on March 1 along the Chesapeake and Ohio  Canal from the 21st to the 24th lock. Only one club member aside from the advisors and leaders attended, but Svoysky thought the first hike was a success.

The club started as an idea that Svoysky and Weitzner shared. They emailed Dean of Students Roslyn Landy to get approval, and Landy said they needed to get advisors for the club, which is a requirement for all CESJDS clubs.

Jewish text teacher Paul Blank and history teacher Mark Buckley advised a nature club many years ago, but the club stopped meeting after an incident on a Shabbaton hike. Svoysky and Weitzner asked Blank and Buckley to be advisors, and they agreed.

“[I enjoy] just spending time with students outside of the school and classroom settings,” Blank said. “Being in nature is what I live for, it’s what I do.”