Senior Remy Garcia-Kakebeen has been doing origami for the past eight years.
“I find origami a great way of improving your motor skills because obviously when you fold paper, you learn to be more precise with your hands,” Garcia-Kakebeen said.
Because of that benefit, she decided to form the Origami Club with her friend, senior Cailtyn Alba.
The two sought club approval from the Associated Student Body last semester, sharing with student leaders their main objective of introducing to the student body this traditional Japanese art form.
“Origami is more than a form of art, that’s why our mission is to promote folding throughout daily life,” Alba said. “It’s a fun activity that brings people together and has a lot of benefits like understanding precision and mental rotation!”
In fact, part of its constitution states: “The purpose of the SHHS Origami Club is to teach students the art of paper folding and allow them to express their creativity …”
After the club became official last September, it completed a paper cranes project before winter break with those who came to the meeting. The club, which has reached nearly 20 members, have been tying each crane together while club leaders work on finding a place to send their work to for display, such as a hospital or a senior center or possibly somewhere on campus, club co-president Garcia-Kakebeen said.
“It’ll be a grand sight, seeing thousands of cranes strung up on the ceiling with their vibrant patterns and colors, popping out for everyone walking under them to see,” she said.
Math teacher Kari Morita, who also enjoys solving origami puzzles in her free time, said she has heard of the new club. Morita even allows her own students to try the art form for themselves.
“You’ve got to think that folding origami is better than scrolling through social media due to the stressors that the media gives,” Morita said.
Club member senior Andrew Gonzalez said he found many benefits to joining the club, such as getting to meet new people.
“It’s a lot of fun talking to people while learning new origami builds because this club has helped me become more social and has allowed me to make friends,” Gonzalez said. “I have found this club to be stress relieving as it lets me get distracted from outside activities.”
Similarly, club member senior Jonathan Kim said that the club is a stress-free environment.
“I have so much academic activities, but the origami club is one of those places where I can just relax,” Kim said. “I feel like just being in that club is just very stress relieving.”
The Origami Club meets Wednesdays at lunch in Room 66. For more information, contact Garcia at [email protected] or Alba at [email protected]
