As students begin looking toward college and their futures, several new clubs at Kinkaid are giving them opportunities to explore careers and develop skills outside the classroom.

The Babysitters Club, founded by sophomore Lauren Parigi and junior Jilly Leonard, aims to introduce students to babysitting and help them gain confidence in a job that’s directed toward teens.

“We hope that students will become comfortable with talking and advocating for themselves,” Parigi said.

Through the club, students can learn about safety tips for children of all ages and how to become independent in a work environment. Club members can gain CPR and first-aid certification. 

While the babysitting club focuses on early childhood care, another new club aims to prepare students for the corporate world. 

The Marketing, Design, and Sales Club, founded by sophomores Reese Hodges and Elizabeth Smith, will also focus on career exploration, specifically in business and marketing. Its goal is to expose students to topics they may want to pursue as careers in the future. 

They decided to start the club after they noticed topics missing in the club program.

“I want to help people find out if this is something they are passionate about and could be interested in doing later,” Smith said.

While these clubs focus on exploring possible careers, sophomores Nifewa Famurewa and Neelan Shah founded the Public Speaking and Networking Club to help students develop skills that they can use in many professional settings. 

The club was inspired by the Rice Pathfinder LILLIE program they attended together over the summer.

“I was eager to bring something of that nature to Kinkaid,” said sophomore Nifewa Famurewa.

Meetings will focus on presentation structure, eye contact, and persuasive techniques. 

“I hope members will take away how to communicate effectively and how to give a killer pitch,” Famurewa said.