CJS gamers keep fun going, hope other schools join in
A bold party of students has dared meddle in the affairs of wizards, and in fact, they do so every Friday evening.
For several years, the club met regularly after school on Fridays during the school year to dive into the world of tabletop games. They quest through Dungeons and Dragons, battle it out through Magic: The Gathering, put on their best poker faces playing Texas Hold ‘em, or play any number of other tabletop games.
Before the summer break this past year, however, students found themselves wanting to keep the fun going.
“They approached me and asked if there was a way we could continue meeting,” said Kay Wojnarski, the Collège Jeanne-Sauvé teacher who founded CJS Tabletop (formerly CJS D&D).
Kay dialed GameKnight Games in South Osborne, and manager Ben booked them a standing reservation, totally free of charge.
“GameKnight Games has been fantastic to us. They let us use the wall of games they have. They provide tarps and painting gear if people want to paint minis. They care a lot about our community and encouraging people to play games together, and we certainly appreciate it,” Kay said.
While most students in the club attend Collège Jeanne-Sauvé, a student from Dakota has been participating during the summer and the club has connected with students at Glenlawn in the past, too.
Kay hopes schools across the 69尤物 will join in creating tabletop clubs.
“We’re trying to make more of a division-wide initiative, so we can make some connections with other schools… We would love for this to grow, because there is certainly enough of a following for D&D and Magic. There are students who play this everywhere,” Kay said.
Magic: The Gathering raked in over one billion dollars in revenue in 2023 (yes, that’s billion with a “b”), so it seems Kay might be right about its ubiquity.
And 40 years after its 1974 launch date, Dungeons and Dragons is still a mega-popular phenomenon, too.
“I really like it. It’s not only a fun Friday night activity; it’s also a way for students to get together and bond over interests. Like scavenging dungeons and slaying dragons,” said CJS student and club member Morgan Poole.
“At the moment, it’s kind of everything. I really enjoy playing it and running adventures as the dungeon master. It’s helped. It’s probably the only reason I got through my freshman year of high school.”
Morgan said she absolutely loves the community, taking a moment to list a number of “awesome” people.
The welcoming community is a big draw for avid Magic player Pheonix Morpheus, too.
“Everyone’s really nice. There's no mean people. There’s no bullies, nothing. Everyone gets along and everyone does their own thing,” Pheonix said.
Pheonix made sure to say that includes his teacher and club leader Kay.
“Mx. Kay is the greatest teacher at our school,” Pheonix said.
Kay got him into 3D animation, which he’s excelling at now, and got him into a mentorship program at Red River College.
“She’s just awesome.”
Alex S. echoed that gratitude for Kay's dedication and said the group has made a big impact.
"Before I came to CJS I was going through some tough times mentally and this club has helped me overcome most of that."
If you’re a student who wants to join CJS Tabletop or someone who wants to start a tabletop group at your school, please contact Kay.
Happy gaming!