All boys. All boarding. Grades 9-12.
Campus Life

Clubs and Activities

Clubs and Activities

At Woodberry, you can pursue a range of activities outside of the classroom. Along the way, you'll gain valuable leadership skills and build friendships you'll keep for the rest of your life. There are more than thirty clubs and plenty of activities for you to enjoy at the Forest. You can choose to travel abroad, explore your spirituality, reduce your carbon footprint, become a photographer, publish a newspaper, mentor others, take a leadership position, paint or sculpt, or enjoy the great outdoors. You'll find that you have endless opportunities to learn, to grow, and to change your life forever at this top rated all-boys boarding prep school in Virginia.
 

WHAT IS THERE TO DO ON THE WEEKEND?

Woodberry is packed with activities on and off campus on the weekends. Here are a few that our current students enjoy:
  • Mixers with Foxcroft, Madeira, St. Margaret's, and Chatham Hall girls' schools
  • Short Pump and Tyson's Corner movie and mall trips
  • Spectator buses to UVA sporting events
  • Outings to the Kings Dominion amusement park
  • Snow Ball at St. Mary’s School in Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Hiking Old Rag Mountain
  • EHS Weekend (the oldest high school football rivalry in the South!)
  • Informal music jam sessions
  • D.C. trips for cultural enrichment and pleasure
  • Semiformals and formals at Foxcroft, Madeira, and Chatham Hall
  • Skiing at Wintergreen
  • BBQ Cookoff
  • Woodberry semiformal and formal
  • Indoor soccer matches
  • Paintball tournaments

ACADEMIC

  • Astronomy Club
       Astronomy Club helps students explore the mysteries of space
       through telescope observations. Club also meets during various
       astronomical events, from meteor showers to solar and lunar eclipses,
       striving to enjoy their beauty as well as understand their nature.

  • Classical Languages Club
  • Entrepreneurship Club

    The Entrepreneurship Club gathers and brings out the potentials of young men who dare to dream, take action, and succeed. Members are exposed to large amounts of crucial business knowledge through hands-on practices, presentations, and guest speaker events.

  • Investment Club

    Investment Club instills an understanding of free market capitalism and the importance of international trade. Members are assigned to study different sectors of the US equity market and present proposed buying and selling opportunities for our $50,000 portfolio.

  • Math League

    Math League challenges Woodberry’s best math students with problem-solving tests. The Mathematics League is an international organization dedicated to building student interest and confidence in mathematics through solving worthwhile problems. Woodberry “mathletes” compete against other Virginia schools by taking a series of six-problem tests. 

  • Model United Nations

    Students prepare to compete in Model UN conferences by researching international issues and learning diplomatic skills. At conferences they work together to solve the world’s biggest problems, building valuable skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and more. During competitions, each boy acts as a delegate from a nation he's studied, representing that country's interests and political positions.


  • Woodberry Philosopher's Club
          We ask questions. What am I? What are you? What is
          consciousness? Are mind and consciousness the same thing, or
          distinct? Does free will exist? Do we all act out of self-interest?
          These are questions that people ponder, and it is thinking and
           reflecting on these questions that makes philosophy what it is.
           Philosophers ask, "What is? What matters?" In this club, boys'
           experiences at Woodberry, from studies, to relationships, to
           sports, will drive them to look up philosophers to help answer
           questions like these.

  • Robotics Club - Timber X

    Robotics Club participants cooperate to create a game-playing robot capable of performing a challenge issued by FIRST Robotics Competition. They test their robot’s skills against other teams in regional competition while celebrating values of collaboration, inventiveness, creativity, and teamwork.

  • Science Olympiad

    Science Olympiad brings a team of students together to prepare for the competition’s events in various scientific areas and skills. The team travels to compete in regional tournaments, often bringing home medals.

  • Speech and Debate

    The Speech and Debate Team travels to local and national tournaments for debate matches, speech contests, and competitive acting events. The team builds your speaking, leadership, and social skills to prepare you for independence. Our team is ranked in the top ten in Virginia.


  • Technology Student Association
          The Technology Student Association at Woodberry Forest will give
          students the opportunity to build their problem-solving and design
          skills. Students will participate in regional competitions later in the
          year, representing the Woodberry Forest Chapter. Students of all
          experience levels are welcome and encouraged to join. 
 

  • Young Republicans, Young Democrats, and Young Libertarians

    Young Republicans, Young Democrats, and Young Libertarians provide forums for discussing current events in the political world, news from the major political parties, and bills before Congress.

ADMISSION

  • Admission Ambassadors

    Admission Ambassadors share Woodberry with prospective students and their families by leading campus tours. Because they have the unique ability to share a student’s perspective with interested future Tigers, Admission Ambassadors are a valuable part of the school’s admissions team’s efforts to bring motivated boys to Woodberry.

  • Admission Hosting

    Admission Hosting matches current students with prospective students as they spend the night on dorm and shadow their hosts during an academic day. Most underformers serve as hosts during Invite Back Weekend each spring.

ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT

  • 1889 Society

    The 1889 Society is a high impact and team oriented student group directed by the Alumni Relations & Development Office. The 1889 Society represents Woodberry with alumni and special guests visiting campus for events and programs. As a part of the 1889 team, students learn how to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences, share Woodberry's history along with your personal story, facilitate/host alumni programming, and contribute to memorable campus experiences.


ART AND MUSIC

  • Saturday Night Film Club

  • Student Bands

    Plenty of students form their own bands at Woodberry. You and your friends can play at regular open-mic nights organized by the Coffeehouse Club. Student groups also play at the spring barbecue. The practice rooms in the Walker Fine Arts Center are always open for students to use.


  • Photography Club

    Photography club is a club dedicated to photography. Specifically, we have photography tutorials, workshops, and exhibitions every month.

  • Music Production Club

    The Music Production Club works to create an opportunity for boys to explore the art of electronic music through production, DJing, and listening.

  • Lyrical Analysis Club

    The Lyrical Analysis Club is for students and faculty who love listening to and thinking about popular music. The club devotes each meeting to a single song--listening closely and then discussing its lyrics. The club is completely student-led. Students choose the music and lead the discussions. All are welcome.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

  • Boy Scouts

    Boy Scouts can register jointly with their home troops and Woodberry’s Troop 100 so they can continue their Eagle Scout work while at the Forest. Woodberry Forest has long been associated with scouting, and many students are awarded their Eagle Scout rank during their time at Woodberry.

  • Boys and Girls Club

    Boys and Girls Club volunteers mentor students after school in nearby Orange. They play games, offer homework help, and serve as role models for elementary and middle school students.


  • Community Service Club
          Woodberry Forest's Community Service Club is dedicated to  
          making a positive impact on society through meaningful deeds and
          service. Our students work with one another to address current
          challenges in various communities, working in roles such as TED
          Translators, STEM Educators, and Card Writers for the elderly,
          among other endeavors. We collaborate with nationally recognized 
          nonprofits and engage in international travel to support access to
          education. Through our efforts, we aim to inspire incentive in our
          youth to contribute and pay it forward.
 

  • Johnson Stadium Concession Stand

    Johnson Stadium Concession Stand staffers serve drinks, candy, and pizza to fans of Tiger football. Proceeds from food sales support local charitable organizations.

ENVIRONMENTAL

  • Environmental Club

    Environmental Club offers students interested in implementing programs to improve sustainability a chance to gather to help one another and the planet.

  • Student Conservation Committee

    Student Conservation Committee maintains Woodberry’s Perimeter Trail and monitors student forts built along the Rapidan River.

  • Gardening Club

    The Woodberry Forest Gardening Club gives students the opportunity to cultivate and practice the skills needed to maintain a garden. Students with varying levels of experience will be able to grow vegetables behind the Manning Science Building. Following every harvest, the club will serve the greater Woodberry community by offering the homegrown greens on Lummis Lawn for anybody to try.

GAMES

  • Chess Club

    Chess Club brings everyone from novices to competitive players together each week for friendly play and lessons in classic moves.

  • Bridge Club

    Bridge is often called the best card game of all. It is played by people aged 9 to 90 and it promotes great sociability and mental sharpness. And all it requires is the ability to count to 13 (well, that is a good start!). The objective of the Woodberry Bridge Club is to teach the game to all ages and all abilities. The club has cards and bidding boxes. The faculty sponsor hopes to see students playing Bridge on dorm and around the school and challenging faculty to a friendly contest before long!

  • WFS Video Game Club

    The purpose of this club is not just to enjoy playing video games. Most video games amalgamate every aspect of arts like literature, visual art, and music. Club members who go through the principles of video games together will learn about what kind of literature, art, and music can impress people and move their hearts. This analysis will help them a lot in their classes. By analyzing video games, students will be able to use the experience as nourishment for their future.

  • Ping Pong Club

    The Ping Pong Club exists to promote the game of ping-pong by way of tournaments and prizes.

  • Pickleball Club
          The Pickleball Club exists to teach the game to new players, provide weekly tournaments for pickleball lovers, and help expand the game at Woodberry.
 

LEADERSHIP

  • Peer Leadership Council

    Peer Leaders are selected through a competitive interview process and help guide New Boys through life at Woodberry. The council meets regular to plan its sessions with new students, which are held each week. Every peer leader works with five or six new students and is charged with helping them make a successful transition to Woodberry.

OUTDOOR

  • Fly-Fishing Club

    Fly-Fishing Club teaches and promotes the art of fly-fishing. Boys hone their casting skills at the campus’s thirteen-acre Robertson Lake and take trips to fishing locales nestled in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.

  • Outdoors Club

    Outdoors Club offers weekend hiking, climbing, and kayaking treks into wilderness areas around the region. Woodberry’s location close to the Shenandoah National Park offers rich opportunities for backpacking and camping.

  • Rod and Gun Club

    Rod and Gun Club is one of Woodberry’s most popular clubs. Boys store their guns securely in Woodberry’s safe and enjoy supervised hunting opportunities. They enjoy waterfowl hunting from their blind on Robertson Lake and fishing in the Rapidan River and on the school’s ponds and lake. The club offers a weekend duck-hunting excursion each winter and organizes a wild game tasting and skeet-shooting event each spring for all members of the community.

  • Ropes Course Instructors

    Ropes Course Instructors lead students in ropes course days to encourage leadership and bonding within each form. Instructors are chosen through a rigorous selection process. They receive training to facilitate and lead students and community members in low-ropes activities and high-ropes challenges. Under the leadership of these able instructors, every student participates in ropes course days at the school’s outdoor education center — featuring the Alpine Tower, Carolina Climbing Wall, and low-ropes facilities — during his time at Woodberry.


  • Woodberry Aviation
The Aviation Club offers a community where both experienced and        inexperienced students share a passion for the world of aviation. Our mission is to provide a platform for individuals who are eager to explore and learn about the complexities of piloting, whether they are passionate learners or just curious. This club will explore the procedures of flying and the technology that underlies it.
 

PUBLICATIONS

  • Fir Tree Yearbook

    The Fir Tree yearbook is one of Woodberry’s oldest student publications and longest standing Woodberry traditions. Students take photographs, write articles, edit submissions, and design layouts to document the year’s memories in an attractive annual.

  • The Oracle 

    Woodberry Forest School's student-run newspaper, The Oracle, has transitioned away from print and now resides online. Student writers highlight today's events, reprint articles from past issues of The Oracle, provide a look behind the scenes, share opinions, cover athletics, and entertain with humor.

  • The Talon

    The Talon is a literary arts magazine published twice a year. Review boards select submissions of art, photography, poetry, fiction, and nonfiction from the school community, and editors design and publish work in an award-winning magazine.

  • Woodberry Forest School Production Network

    WFSPN broadcasts live coverage of athletic, arts, and academic events. The student-run channel brings together on-air personalities with behind-the-scenes crews to cover a variety of school events via the internet.

SOCIAL

  • Minority Caucus

    Caucus is an affinity group for students of color. Minority students meet to support one another and enjoy guest speakers and off-campus trips.

  • Woodberry GSA 

    GSA is a gay-straight alliance for students who question their sexual orientation or who identify as LGBT or as an LGBT ally. The group meets regularly for discussion, support, and socializing. 

  • International Forum

    International Forum invites Woodberry’s international students, along with others interested in learning more about global cultures, to meetings where they discuss current affairs, enjoy international cuisine, or hear from guest speakers. The group also takes off-campus trips to cultural events, ethnic restaurants, and movies.


  • Global Issue Discussion Club
     
  • Asian Affinity Association
          The Asian Affinity Association exists to create a space for Asian and          Asian American students to find support, build trust, and feel a
          sense of belonging. The group meets regularly (as an affinity group
          and as a group open to the community) to discuss ways to share
          Asian culture within the Woodberry community. The group also
          hosts movie nights, authentic meals, and other on- and off-campus
          activities.
 
  • Latinos at Woodberry

    Latinos at Woodberry serves as an affinity group, providing a safe place for Woodberry’s Latino students to come together and share in the cultures of one another. Meetings are often held as open-invite cookouts in which the group combines cuisines from various Latin cultures. In these meetings, attendees enjoy the ability to learn new recipes and to use these shared experiences around food as a means of fostering community.
          

SPIRITUAL 

  • St. Andrew’s Chapel

    St. Andrew’s Chapel offers boys the opportunity to serve as acolytes, ushers, and readers at weekly Monday evening worship services.

  • Woodberry Christian Fellowship

    Woodberry Christian Fellowship welcomes every student to its popular Tuesday evening gatherings at a faculty home. Guest speakers from FOCUS (Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools) facilitate Bible study, praise, and prayer. Meetings always include pizza, games, and fellowship.
Woodberry Forest School is an exceptional private school community for high school boys in grades nine through twelve. It is one of the top boarding schools in the United States and one of the only all-boys, all-boarding schools in the country.
Woodberry Forest, VA 22989
Phone: 540-672-3900

Explore & Resources

Woodberry Forest admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, and national or ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. The school is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.