When students learn online, one of the biggest challenges isn’t academics. It’s connection. Finding ways to build friendships, share interests, and feel part of a community is just as important as mastering reading or math. That’s where virtual school clubs come in!
Across the country, K-12 online programs are using Engageli to host school clubs that bring students together in meaningful ways. These spaces give students a place to explore hobbies and strengthen relationships beyond the classroom.
A dance club to get students moving, hosted in Engageli.
Why clubs matter in virtual schooling
For many K-12 students, social interaction fuels motivation and belonging. In traditional schools, those moments happen in hallways, lunchrooms, and after-school activities. Virtual schools have to be more intentional about creating them.
Online school clubs provide that structure. In a virtual setting where students often learn independently, clubs introduce collaboration, teamwork, and communication in a low-pressure environment. These same skills translate directly into classroom success.
When students have the chance to moderate a book discussion or organize an art show in a low-stakes setting, they build the skills to solve problems and manage projects from start to finish with a team. Those experiences build confidence and prepare them for higher grades and future careers.
For teachers and administrators, clubs can also reveal how connected students feel to their school community. Participation trends and engagement levels often serve as early signals of well-being. When students show up and contribute, it’s a sign that the social side of learning is thriving: a crucial complement to academic progress.
How Engageli supports virtual clubs
Schools use Engageli’s virtual classroom environment to run everything from STEM clubs and student government meetings to dance parties and baking clubs. Each club meets in a live session where students sit at virtual tables in small groups. Teachers and advisors can see participation levels, listen in on conversations, or move between tables to check in. It feels like a real classroom, specifically designed for online engagement.
Engageli also includes built-in tools that make it easy to keep students active and creative. Advisors can:
- Run polls or trivia games for quick icebreakers
- Use shared whiteboards for collaborative projects
- Use game-based learning to make clubs a social space
- Let students co-edit documents or brainstorm together in table groups
- Track participation to see which students might need encouragement
- Share expert talks or how-to videos related to the club topic
- Invite guest speakers or club alumni to join as special presenters
- Use emoji reactions or short polls for quick feedback and voting
- Create shared notes or reflection boards so students can capture ideas together
Because all of this happens in one place, there’s no juggling multiple tabs or apps, and younger students stay focused on the activity.
A crochet club for elementary school students, hosted in Engageli.
Examples of school clubs run on Engageli
- Art and photography clubs: Students experiment with different media and share work in virtual galleries
- Creative writing circles: Students collaborate on stories and give peer feedback
- Music and drama groups: Students rehearse and perform in live virtual showcases
- STEM clubs: Students explore robotics, coding, and engineering through team projects
- Math and science teams: Students tackle problem-solving challenges together
- Language and culture clubs: Students learn new languages and explore global perspectives
- Student government: Students plan events, lead meetings, and practice leadership
- Community service: Students coordinate volunteer projects
- Debate and public speaking: Students build confidence through structured discussions
Hobby and special interest clubs
- Esports and gaming leagues: Students compete in friendly tournaments focused on strategy and teamwork
- Cooking and nutrition clubs: Students learn healthy habits and simple recipes
- Book and film clubs: Students discuss stories and ideas in small-group settings
Many students describe these clubs as a highlight of their week: a place to be social, try something new, and make online school feel more like a community.
A coding club for elementary school students, hosted in Engageli.
Spotlighting Stride’s virtual clubs on Engageli
Stride, a provider of online K-12 schools across the United States, has built a network of virtual school clubs and extracurricular activities to bring students together. Using Engageli, they run thousands of interactive club sessions that help students explore their interests and connect with peers beyond their academic classes.
These sessions are recorded and made available in Engageli’s Playback Rooms, where students can revisit discussions, share highlights, or catch up if they miss a live meeting. The clubs form a key part of Stride’s enrichment curriculum, designed to give students creative and social outlets alongside their academic work.
How school clubs affect student engagement and connection
Schools that foster connection often see results in academics too. Research has shown that students who participate regularly in social and collaborative spaces tend to attend more consistently and engage more deeply in their classes. Engageli’s Active Learning Impact Study found that active, collaborative environments lead to 13× more learner talk time, 16× more non-verbal engagement, and 54% higher test scores than passive ones.
The same design that makes Engageli effective for instruction - small-group collaboration, live interaction, and accessible participation - also powers vibrant extracurriculars. When students feel seen and included, motivation and attendance rise, creating stronger engagement across the board.
Bringing clubs to your online K-12 program
Any virtual or hybrid school can use Engageli to build student community. Start small with a few interest groups or enrichment sessions, and encourage teachers or older students to lead. Over time, participation grows naturally as students form friendships and discover shared passions.
Whether you’re running a single virtual academy or a multi-state district program, Engageli makes it easy to scale clubs safely, manage participation, and maintain structure for every age group.
Virtual learning doesn’t have to mean learning alone. With platforms like Engageli, schools can offer the best of both worlds: the flexibility of online learning and the belonging that comes from shared experiences.
Interested in learning how Engageli's platform can bring active learning to your online classroom?
Visit our K-12 hub to see it in action and download helpful resources!