On Thursday, September 21st, 2023, a special club was resurrected, after a long hiatus, the Table-Top Role-Playing (TTRP) Club. This club was established by a group of Lake Shore students, but this year, Kevin Francis, a Special Education teacher at Lake Shore High School, took over the leadership role. The games played in this club include Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), Pathfinder, Candela Obscura, and a whole myriad of other games.

When Francis, was questioned regarding the club, he provided some valuable information.

Francis explained the significance of the TTRP club. He responded, “I feel that the TTRP is a great way to socialize with your peers, make new friends, and offer a way to express yourself creatively. That can be done by exploring new situations, putting yourself in the shoes of someone else, or provide a person with the chance to open up in a way that they might not normally have available to them.” This is important because if people are starting something brand new, then they might have a few initial jitters. But, this won’t stop the students from having the time of their lives.

There are a myriad of students who could benefit from this club. Francis explains, “Of course, the creative, artistic, and dramatic Students would all fit in perfectly with this Club, but I also think it would be beneficial for Students looking to meet new people, foster new friendships, and those who are looking for an outlet to try something new and different; perhaps even learn something new about themselves!” This emphasizes the fact that games could be for everybody, because when you’re trying something new, it might not be for you at first, but over time, it will begin to grow on you.

This club has a deep history, as Francis explains, “The TTRP was a Club in the past, but the original Teachers who sponsored it are no longer with the Lake Shore community. So a few years back, there seems to have been a rapid increase in people’s interest in role-playing games. Maybe that comes from people only being able to meet and communicate via Google Meet and ZOOM during the pandemic, or the availability of YouTube and Twitch developing and broadcasting weekly adventure games like Critical Role and DImension 20, or maybe what’s old is new again. Either way, the TTRP was brought back to tap into that interest and offer all of the Students at Lake Shore a chance to get involved and try their own hand at the table-top role-playing experience.” This is because everybody deserves a shot at taking their creativity to its peak, and potentially expanding their horizons.

In closing, this club has a bright future ahead of it. Francis is very excited about it, “ What I look forward to the most is watching the Students take charge and create the Cliub that will work best for them and what they want to get out of it. Some will naturally gravitate towards a leadership role by being a Game Master, others will for the first time tap into their more artistic and creative sides, and some will finally have a platform in which they can find their voice and express themselves.” This is vital, because in general, students, regardless of schooling level, feel restricted creatively. But, with this TTRP club in full swing, the members are in for some fun as the club continues.

These answers are very valuable, because if there is going to be a brand new club integrated into any school, regardless of what stage of school it is, whether it is elementary school, middle school, or high school, it’s an occasion to have a brand new club, so you’ll need a lot of feedback.

This club is in for some adventures as it continues through the 2023-2024 school year and into the future.