“Club Scene” Looks Different For Involved Students At Maize South

Competitive clubs are still allowed to meet with limitations, but clubs considered non-competitive have been ordered not to meet by the district, which isn’t sitting well with some students and teachers.

Photo Courtesy of Maize South Yearbook

The MS Leche club conducts a monthly meeting last year where they would hang out during EnCor while eating milk and cookies as a way to take the stress of school off of their shoulders. Cooper Schoonover (Second from left to right), graduate, is seen enjoying a cup of milk and having a laugh with Josh Goodale (Far left), Connor Shannon (Second to the right), and Logan Patterson (Far right), all of which are graduates of Maize South High School.

Ty Rains, Bullseye Web Editor and Reporter
October 30, 2020

Did COVID-19 pull the cancel card on the club you’re involved with this year?

Only those clubs considered to be competitive by the Board of Education are allowed to meet this year. This has caused some students to feel like they lack a sense of community at school. Most students however, understand that even though they can’t enjoy school like they used to, the rules that have been set up to help the rate of cases die down.

With the new rules in play, only competitive clubs like debate or forensics are allowed to meet. This put a road block up for Maize South’s most popular club: Rachel Delzer’s MS-Leche club.

Delzer believes that the current state of clubs won’t change until after the pandemic has ended and believes that, if they do meet, it will have to be after school.

“The pandemic has affected my club because we cannot meet this year during EnCor,” said Delzer. “Also, I think that the pandemic has brought about some changes that will last after the pandemic has ended. For example, I have heard that in the future, only clubs that tie directly to the curriculum can meet during the school day. All other clubs will have to meet outside of school hours. So if the MS-Leche club wants to continue meeting, we will probably have to meet after school rather than during EnCor.”

The students were the ones who were hit the hardest with these new district limitations. Previously, clubs were a safe place and a way to feel connected and have a good time for kids like senior Eli Stucky, who has been a part of Delzer’s MS-Leche Club from the start.

“Currently the club is not meeting anywhere outside of school,” Stucky said. “If I were to take a guess we might get the chance to start meeting again either late in the second term or we’ll have to wait for the second semester. I’m hoping we get to meet at least once this year, especially since I’ve been apart of this club since the beginning and it’s my senior year. The MS-Leche club is also probably one of the best just because you get to hangout with your friends, drink milk, eat cookies, and have a blast.”

Last year KAY Club hosted a regional conference. Clubs from the surrounding area joined for a day of learning and collaboration. The KAY Club sponsor, Megan Fowler, believes that the current situation of her club is actually a good thing for her students. “I personally think it is what is best,” Fowler said. “There is no way we would have been able to have all of the participants socially distancing properly. Way too many people! I know it’s difficult because the social interaction is what so many of us enjoy, but for right now, limited gatherings is what is best.” Photo by Angelo Silva

Some clubs are still able to meet, with limitations of course, but these clubs have been designated as competitive by the school. Teacher Zach Helgesen leads robotic courses at the Maize Career Academy and advises the Robotics club. He feels very lucky to still be able to meet with his students, but also understands the importance of staying safe during the pandemic.

“I feel very fortunate that we have been allowed to meet,” Helgesen said. “But at the same time, I understand that limiting the amount of exposure is important. Even though we have been allowed to meet we have had to change the way that we do things to maintain a safe environment. Each team of 3-4 students works with masks on and we sanitize our hands often. Students have accepted that if one of their teammates tests positive that they will be quarantined for 14 days. We keep all of the groups separate to limit the exposure to COVID. At the events, spectators are usually limited to family only and they are required to mask up the entire time. Tournaments are reduced to about 60% capacity that normally is offered. We (all the teams around the state) are trying to be very careful to not spread COVID so that we can continue to operate. ”

There are some students, however, that feel that the competitive clubs meeting is a bit unfair and their clubs aren’t given the same opportunities. Senior Braden Niemann knows it isn’t fair, but understands why the rules are in place to protect our students and community.

“Well it sucks that we are unable to meet like competitive clubs can but we understand the precautions.”

Freshmen who are just coming into the high school scene usually find comfort and friends from clubs to suppress the intimidation of their initial high school year. Stucky wishes that the freshmen and other students didn’t have to miss out on the fun of clubs.

“My hopes for the future of these clubs is that they get the chance to function normally again, or somewhat normally,” said Stucky. “Being able to join a club in high school really makes a difference in my eyes, and I feel students this year, especially new freshmen, have missed out on that. So I hope we can return back to how things used to be, just to get a feel of that normality back in high school.