Prospective students and parents kicked off the school choice season by learning about Bellaire’s academic programs and extracurricular activities at Cardinal Kickoff on Feb. 18.
Taking place annually around late February, this was Bellaire’s 14th year hosting the event. It involves an information session about academics, including programs such as International Baccalaureate (IB) or dual credit and comparisons of Bellaire’s test scores versus national averages.
“You don’t often get a chance to see everything that Bellaire has to offer in one single space, but we do on that night — athletics, arts, clubs and academics. Everything is all in one,” English teacher and Clubs and Study Abroad Coordinator Elizabeth Chapman said. “I think it really shows off the diversity of our school and the sheer span of opportunities that are available to kids.”
Chapman called Dean of Instruction Debra Campbell “the brain” behind the event.
“It was her vision to have this over a decade ago,” Chapman said. “I’ve gotten to see it become a tradition that everyone in the community anticipates and is excited about. I just know that it’s always massive, sprawling and exciting.”
For Campbell, organizing Cardinal Kickoff is like a “formula.” She has to contact club leaders, assemble performance groups and print out information packets.
“All those years back, we saw how new families were coming in, and they didn’t really get a full perspective of what we offered,” Campbell said. “We wanted them to be able to see how exciting Bellaire was. Many of our families are looking at private schools versus public, comprehensive high schools, and we wanted to give them a chance to be able to compare.”
According to Campbell, the transition between middle and high school is one of the most “significant” transitions that a student can go through.
“It’s kind of the ‘kickoff’ to an eighth grader becoming a Cardinal, as they’re transitioning and onboarding into the school,” Campbell said. “That’s how the name came. We are kicking off the onboarding process.”
Prospective students are also given the chance to explore interests at Club Jamboree, where club leaders set up displays to promote their clubs. Bellaire has over 150 clubs and activities.
“In the old building, our cafeteria wasn’t this big, but there was so much energy, and everybody was so excited to show off the school,” Campbell said. “We do Club Jamboree so much now that students are used to it, but in the very beginning, it was as exciting for the kids in school as it was for the people who came in.”
For senior Akshatha Perumal, joining Orchestra and Piano was like a “break” for her, one in which she could befriend others with her similar interests. Perumal is now the president of the program.
“When I try to convince incoming freshmen to join Bellaire Orchestra and Piano, I try to say, ‘This is a chance for you to meet all these new people that share the same interests and hobbies as you, and this could really be a seed for your future to grow your hobby and interest,’” Perumal said.
When asked what makes the school’s community stand out, Campbell said that everybody first mentions diversity.
“We have something for everybody,” Chapman said. “If art is your passion, you can pursue that to the fullest extent. If you’re really serious about your academics, we offer more AP courses than any other school in the district. If you want to play sports, we have them all. I think it shows off that even though we’re enormous, this is a place where everybody can find their niche.”
It is “hard” for prospective families to truly understand what a school is like before actually attending, according to Chapman, so Cardinal Kickoff makes them more enthusiastic about choosing Bellaire.
“I think it makes incoming freshmen excited about all the ways they can get involved,” Chapman said. “Our vision of Bellaire is that it’s not just a place where you come for your academics, but that it also has a role in your development as a whole human being.”
For prospective students, more information about starting at Bellaire can be found at the Cardinals Nest website.
Angelina Tao • Mar 18, 2026 at 7:57 pm
love the multimedia on this! i can tell you worked very hard 🙂