Many students have enjoyed the sweet hot chocolate on Friday mornings, but where exactly does it come from? No, not a packet, but the Epsilon Beta club!

Epsilon Beta is an abbreviation for the greek title “Episcpoi Tes Bibliothekes,” which translates to “The Keepers of the Library.” It is a Missouri-based club, and librarian Ms. Kelly Hauquitz helped to get the FHC chapter started.

Junior Mariah Skelly was one of the students who was involved in starting the club, as well. They had to get signatures and get the club voted through Stuco in order for it to become official.

The club is a library service club, so students do different projects around the school.

“We meet once a month on Thursdays in the library, you know, cause we’re library nerds,” Skelly said, “and we just plan our next events.”

Along with the hot chocolate on Fridays, Epsilon Beta was in charge of the tap top drive around the school. They also hosted the Catching Fire table that was in the cafeteria back in November, according to junior Jacob Bagwell.

“I joined because I’m always in the library, and I like books,” Bagwell said. “I heard about it from Ms. Hauquitz because I was a  TA in the library last year.”

To join, though, you don’t necessarily have to live in the library, or read every book that book club does. You just have to believe that the library is important, and cool.

“Just sign up, come to the meetings, and do service projects,” Skelly said. There are about 30 members currently, and with the service projects, for every hour you earn a point towards an academic letter. It is similar to NHS, but a different club and different standards. Recently, the club’s twitter recognized 14 students who received their letter by March.

Members of the club also attended state conference a few weeks ago in Kansas City. They got to meet with other clubs, visit the Kansas City Art Institute, the Arabia Steamboat museum, as well as participate in a quiz bowl all about authors, classics, and past Gateway nominees.

Although the club is fairly new, it is growing quickly, and it is becoming successful. Two of its officers are state officers, and this is its first year of existence. It is a great place to read, learn, and make friends, all while promoting literacy in the school. Epsilon Beta is well on its way to getting big, so join now so you can eventually say, “once upon a time, when the keepers of the library first began…”