In August, Plainfield East High School was at a stand-still when it came to offering clubs and extracurricular, except for sports.  

A  school’s job is to protect and teach children as they grow. 

They learn English, foreign language, maths, and sciences. As we grow to a more modern age, we also learn about social-emotional health. 

Clearly, this generation struggles with stress and anxiety; addressing mental health indicates that teenagers are through with having their emotional state ignored.
This is why clubs and activities must be provided and are just as important as sports – which society focused on much earlier.

Why was there even a delay and struggle with running clubs?

Clubs held on Zoom meetings can social distance, in some manner way much better than how sports have. I do support the existence of club meetings on Zoom; the struggle of and delay with  inputting them is my point of criticism.
The loss of  in-person clubs is a personal sting. As much as I generally enjoy staying inside and avoid socializing, a club with people like me where I can relax and socialize provides a nice break.

It is a time where I could push away school and home and indulge in my interests.

Even if it will not be the same, how is that different than anything this year so far? A Zoom call where I don’t have to mute and can have some time with friends is better than nothing.
I do not advocate for a total reopen, especially so soon. I understand the importance of online school in times like these, even as I struggle in my classes.

But that does not explain away the pace it took to put clubs in the spotlight; some students still do not know about them. 

Why does it always seem as if athletics is the most important extracurricular?

Athletics receive the most general hype, advertised by the school readily. And while it is true that sports are a stress reliever for many students and sports help build community, that does not give them a step above clubs. 

Clubs help build personal relationships and skills just the same as any sport.
It feels as if sports are the given, the right of students and parents to enjoy, while clubs took petitioning and questioning to get started.

Pause and question, “Why are we as a society so focused on sports instead of drama, poetry, the arts?”

Clubs deserve time. All clubs.

I feel the delay and lack of putting this in the spotlight is indicative of deeper societal issues, of a constant drive of productivity without leisure, where the arts are considered a leisure despite their efforts.

All in all, more attention must be paid to clubs. They benefit students and staff and provide some time for relaxation and indulge in one’s interests.

A Zoom call will not hurt anybody. Don’t clubs deserve time in the lights of a Friday night?