Nerd Con 26 sets the stage for Valley fandom

Fifty years ago, a room filled with passionate fans discussing comic books, playing Dungeons and Dragons, or engaging in sword play was considered a niche subculture. Reflecting a shift into the mainstream, Palmer High’s massive, student-led Nerd Club is now gearing up for its annual Nerd Con under the guidance of advisor Keith Barkwood.

Nerd Con AK is the primary fundraising event for the Palmer High School Nerd Club, a student run organization dedicated to academic growth, leadership, creativity, and community building. “It’s an awesome event where the community gets to come together and participate in events and vendors that only happen here in the Valley,” said David Spinelli, the Public Information Officer/Court Jester of the Nerd Club.

Events that will include sword play, costume contest, Dungeons and Dragons, movies, creating artwork, gaming and science to comics, literature, technology, art, and more. “We’ll also have an area set up where there’ll be a couple rides and different games for people to enjoy,” added Teague Klauder, the club’s Librarian.

“It’s expanded to cover so much more,” says Kilee Gose, President, who joined the club last year and has enjoyed her time with the other students. “Despite stereotypes it’s a really cool experience.”

Indeed, with over 50 vendors, artists, and community organizations signed up, it has come a long way in nearly four years of existence when the club began with little more than a handful of students. Barkwood explained that the club quickly outgrew it’s original space, a classroom where a brick still remains with the names of the inaugural members. “We had students setting up tables in the hallway playing games.” Now the club boasts over 70 members from all different backgrounds that meet on Fridays in the common space of the high school.

“It’s real interesting, just how it started out kind of small and we had to put a lot of effort into making it better,” said Talus McClean, the Scribe, who has been with club for years, noting that the club and Nerd Con started small but, through hard work, have grown and increased profits every year.

“It’s a really good way to find friends that you wouldn’t expect to make,” says Birgitta Barkwood, a freshman who joined the club earlier in the school year.

Billed as a vibrant gathering where enthusiasts, families, students, hobbyists, makers, and local organizations come together to learn, share, and uplift each other, Nerd Con helps fund student activities, competitions, college and career exploration opportunities, and hands on experiences meant to empower students to reach their full potential.

It is also the primary fundraiser for the club, which has also been fundraising throughout the year, and got a boost from the Mat-Su Health Foundation. “We raised a lot from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, who were generous enough to fund a lot of this,” noted club Treasurer Preston Ogden, who says the club has raised roughly $30,000, which will help fund their trip to New York Comic-Con.

Nerd Con 26 will be held on Saturday, April 4 at Palmer High School, from 12-6 p.m.