243 students signed up for Lettuce Club during club week on Aug. 27-31.

The original idea of having a club to organize a lettuce eating competition came from Reddit, according to freshman and Co-President Perry Glikmann.

Lettuce Club was originally going to have a club-wide lettuce eating competition, but concern from the administration prompted a change to a lettuce festival called Lettuce Fest.

Lettuce Club was also planning on having a junior lifeguard and an adult lifeguard – both certified – in case a participant choked on lettuce. According to senior, Treasurer and ‘Postmaster General’ of Lettuce Club Aiden Glikmann, about five Advanced Peer Counselors would have attended the lettuce eating competition “in case kids had a traumatic experience while eating the lettuce.”

However, regardless of those precautions, Assistant Principal Jason Meskis and the rest of the administration believe that this activity would be more appropriate for a college atmosphere than a public high school.

“I started thinking about it, and then I watched some lettuce eating competitions online and … we don’t need to be doing that,” Meskis said. “It looks like it could be potentially dangerous. I know kids and how competitive they can get. We don’t want eating contests because there are kids that choke. People get sick because they eat too much too fast.”

While the planning is not yet complete, the spring Lettuce Fest will have games and possibly live music.

“It sounds like [the Lettuce Club officers] were trying to put together a really well prepared event and it seemed like they were having a lot of fun with the planning, so it’s unfortunate,” Meskis said. “But, it sounds like their new Lettuce Fest might be fun and that may be something that sweeps the nation.”

According to Aiden Glikmann, the club’s five pillars are “happiness, peace, love, acceptance and lettuce.”

“Lettuce has been a passion of mine since I was very young, actually,” Aiden Glikmann said. “This opportunity to spread the word on healthy eating. I hopped on.”

Senior and ‘Secretary of War’ of Lettuce Club Ethan Martin described the reception of the club as “astronomical and humbling.”

“I’m most excited to see the happy faces and the good vibes that will come around lettuce,” Martin said. “I’m excited to see everyone come out and have a good time and enjoy lettuce.”

Students crowded around the Lettuce Club booth during club week, attracted by the repetitive singing and enthusiasm.

“Why not [join Lettuce Club]? You know?” sophomore Karina Patel said. “It’s lettuce, it’s entertaining.”

During second semester, the winner of the lettuce festival will be crowned king or queen and continue on as next year’s president of Lettuce Club.

“Our goal here is to really start a movement that lasts for years and years at Oak Park, even after we’ve gone,” senior and Co-President Ben Fuller said. “We just hope everyone comes out and enjoys the club. We really think that it can be something very special and very exciting.”

This year’s Lettuce Club adviser is science teacher Anastasia Kokiousis.

“It’s pretty cool that there’s a lot of kids interested in the Lettuce Club,” Kokiousis said.

Freshman Perry Glikmann mentioned that “all lettuce supplied [will be] fully organic.” Their current top choice of lettuce is from the warehouse company Smart & Final.

“What’s better than lettuce?” senior and club Vice President Dylan Rodgers said. “We saw the movement growing and there was no proper foundation of lettuce on this campus. So, the boys seized the opportunity.”