On Oct. 6, the Armory will be open and available to all students at Carlsbad High School. The Armory is a program run by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Carlsbad, which provides students with tutoring, community service opportunities and intramural sports.

“The Armory is a place where all the teenagers can come after school, and have the option to do anything they can to better themselves,” Village Clubhouse Teen Director Abby Snyder said.

Although the Armory officially opens in October, students have the opportunity to sign up anytime throughout the year. Information for signing up can be found on the School Loop home page.

“The great thing about the Armory is that there’s no commitment as to how many times a week you have to come,” Bressi Clubhouse Teen Director Nicole Bianchini said. “You can simply participate in the activities that interest you. So if you like community service, you can go on all the community service trips and not necessarily participate in the tutoring.”

The Armory will provide many different activities for all students to participate in. To kick-off the program, there will be a staff vs. students kickball game on Oct. 13. Starting Oct. 6, the Armory will be open Mondays through Thursdays until 6 p.m. in Room 7106.

“Every Tuesday and Thursday, we will have tutors from Cal State San Marcos– we have tutors that are helping from PLUS and Palomar college as well,” Snyder said. “Some of the tutors are college students; some are actually retired physicists, so we have really high-quality tutors.”

Students may have noticed the black towels and leis that were handed out at the last two football games. These were provided by The Armory.

“Every home game, we bring swag,” Bianchini said. “We will be there getting the word out about the things we have to offer and also hand out towels and other kinds of swag to the students, so they can carry on with the team spirit and the Carlsbad spirit.”

Additionally, students who enroll in the Armory are eligible for the Youth of the Year Award, a $10,000 scholarship.

“The scholarship is one of the coolest parts about the Armory,” Bianchini said. “Any student who participates in the Armory is eligible to compete for the scholarship. It is a very prestigious award. It’s city-wide, so only one student in Carlsbad can earn this award. It’s really a big deal to be that sort of representative to Carlsbad.”

This new club is ready to bring the students of CHS a place to study, hang out with friends, gain community service hours and play sports.

“One of the best things about this program is we get to work so closely with so many different groups here, and we just look forward to bringing everyone together,” Bianchini said. “It gives students a space to connect not just with us, but with each other, and gives students skills they need to continue to be successful.”