With the pandemic wreaking havoc across the world, and a third wave happening right now in the U.S., schools across the country are limited in activities with clubs and organizations as well as other extracurricular activities.
Mr. Lynn, one of many teachers who are also the advisers of clubs and organizations here at Potosi High School, is determined to do as much as he can to keep the high school experience going. Whether it be to change practices or changing what the club has to do in all, teachers are making it work.
When Mr. Lynn arrived in 2017, he was already qualified for the positions of FBLA and NHS leader. “I did mention I was open to running both of [NHS and FBLA] when I interviewed for the job.” He was drawn to those because “NHS is something I think is very important and something I’m familiar enough with, and then FBLA, I like the idea of the club helping to guide students towards understanding business practice in the modern world and having fun while doing it”. He never participated in either club because he went to high school overseas, but he was a part of the Model United Nations Club, which is where students train to be a delegate in the United Nations. He maintained a high academic standard in high school and wanted to guide and reward students for doing the same. He had much experience within the business world too. He explained that he draws on, “My extensive experience and interaction with people from all ranges of the business community in our modern era and my contacts amongst those people.”
There are some ways that Covid has limited the students' activities in these clubs. For example, FBLA would sell donuts in the morning at school for a dollar apiece. Field trips for both groups have been basically eliminated. The NHS is doing limited volunteer work now because businesses are closing their doors to outsiders. There is no big banquet dinner for the NHS. The clubs still keep going though, through Lynn’s and the teachers’ wills. “Clubs give students of like-minded interests a place to share viewpoints and engage in activities that they all enjoy.” Clubs can also make you a more rounded individual, Lynn says, which colleges look for in a person.
Even though clubs are limited in activities, they still get to do some things. Some members of the NHS helped with a food drive, had a fundraiser, encouraged people to participate in the 2020 election, and welcomed new members. FBLA will be designing and selling t-shirts; keep an ear out because they will be coming soon. It is not too late to join FBLA.
A new and upcoming club that still has to get approved by the school board is the anime club. The anime club will be a safe place to discuss ideas and opinions and the ability for people who like anime to express themselves, especially since anime is not a widely popular topic in our high school community.