In this time period we’re currently living in, we’ve all been stuck at home for months on end. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused everyone to become bored, lonely, and unmotivated to try new things. Many recreational places have been closed, and some will never be open for business again. Because of this, many people have lost their jobs, school experiences, and other interesting activities they had planned for the future. Some schools have their classrooms open for in-person learning, as well as after school activities including sports, clubs, and service projects. At Griffith High School/Middle School, one of the smallest schools in Lake County, the administration is allowing a hybrid of virtual and in-person learners, which makes extracurricular activities somewhat harder to participate in for the students. Griffith has some extra-curricular activities, such as Band, Drama, International Club, and FCCLA, but is also primarily an athletic school that has basketball, soccer, track, football, etc. I believe that we should add more options for clubs at Griffith High School/Middle School due to the lack of some students not participating or showing any interest in anything throughout high school. An increase in the amount of clubs may also help with students’ grades and their friendships with others, as they may not have been keeping in contact thanks to COVID-19.

Griffith has a few clubs, but there are so many more that can be included. Some clubs that can be beneficial and enjoyable to students are Language Learning Club, Film/Animation Club, Chess Club, Baking/Cooking Club, and Seasonal Event Club. These clubs would be a great pass time for students who want to learn more about what they’d like to do later in life, such as those who’d want to be a chef in the future. Though some students could use this as a way to help with their future career paths, some may see it as an advantage to get out of the house some more, interact with new people, or even learn some new skills that they have never learned before.

“I believe that clubs and extra-curricular activities are a great motivation for students to do well in school,” eighth Grade English Teacher Joshua Bertossi. “Some students want to participate in something but don’t find anything that interests them. Others find one club which encourages them to try other things. A Writing Club, for example, would encourage students to write freely at an age where that’s not exactly something they might want to do. Students will also stay focused on their academics to ensure they can continue to participate in the various clubs and activities the same way athletes are held responsible when they are in season.” As Bertossi puts it, “The more clubs we have, the higher the students morale.”

There can be quite a few downfalls to having more after school clubs, though. Some negative aspects can include students missing being at home and not spending time with family or friends, or it becoming hard for students to come home after school due to their parents not being there. The school could would need to be aware of its extracurricular budget, or it could be difficult to have meetings due to COVID-19. With that being said, the school could also possibly not want to hold clubs such as a film or animation due to not having the proper equipment or utilities used to fulfill the activities within the club.

Our school should have more clubs and extracurricular activities. Having these activities can cause students to get out of the house more and help them to keep their grades up to be able to participate in the activity they want to do. Hopefully, some day, we can have more activities that can make the school have better educational activities, and even better social activities for students to participate in for the future.