Being the newest school in Katy ISD gives Tompkins some unique attributes. The students and staff grow together to build traditions that would be carried on through the rest of its years. The clubs which a school sponsors represent the school community and play as big of a part in the lives of students.

Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE)
The TAFE club only exists on two campuses in Katy ISD, one being Tompkins and the other being Miller Career Center. The club is sponsored by Brita Johnson, JV Cheer coach. TAFE helps students explore careers in education and teaching them skills necessary to become educators in the future.

“This year, I am promoting TAFE more as a service rather than as a fundraising,” Johnson said. “Promoting the club has proved to be a challenge, as it is only us and Miller students who have started this club just this year, so we don’t have any other schools to reach out to.”

TAFE is growing quickly, as the organization has managed to involve Kilpatrick Elementary and Wilson Elementary and the four feeding elementaries to Tompkins High School into the program. The TAFE club at Tompkins has around 18 members currently, which involves students from all grades.

“Mr. Grisdale approached me to start this program at the beginning of the year. Just knowing that I was going to be involved in something to help the future generation made me want to sponsor this club,” Johnson said.

Tompkins Chess Club
Tompkins Chess Club was founded last year, and it grew out of students who had a love for the challenging board game. After the creation of the club last year, which has been sponsored by the library from the beginning, it has experienced consistent growth.

“Most days we meet up and play practice matches against each other and try to learn new techniques and moves,” said junior Diego Perez, founder and president of the chess club. “We are currently discussing a chess tournament for the spring semester, which everyone is invited to compete in.”

The chess club held a similar tournament last year, which was hosted in the library, spanned a few weeks and ended up being a very successful tournament. The club has now grown to 35 active chess club members and many more students that only compete in the tournaments.

“This group of kids are a really great group. Diego has done a great job in holding meetings and he created a very well organized tournament last year. They are a group of kids that really love the game and I admire that,”said librarian and sponsor of chess club Michelle Tuttle.