Jackson Detmer
eSomethin staff
After nearly a two-year gap, the Writers’ Block creative writing club has returned.
“We’re going to have a bunch of former juniors who never saw a role model for ‘what does a senior really do in this role?’ And they’ve never had the leadership, so they don’t know exactly what the role is,” Farrar said. In a club where a friendly environment and student leadership is paramount, a lack of role models can present a major issue. And in this case, the only solution is for students to step up — which can be challenging, as many students are unsure of how to make a change or get in touch.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made changes to extracurricular activities at Perrysburg High School, and the unforeseen gap has definitely had an impact on students. The club’s recreation has been a collaborative effort between teachers Meredith Gaynor, Amy Farrar and students, like club president Emmett Bohney. Student leadership has been crucial in keeping extracurricular activities alive.
While there have been challenges along the way, the future of the club looks bright.
The last meeting of the club, until just recently, was March 16, 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic. The club’s attempts to “meet” virtually were not very successful, as in-person conversation is a major part of the club and many students felt wary about sharing their personal writing online.
And although COVID-19 protocols have been loosened enough to allow for a return to in-person settings, the graduation of upperclassmen and lack of opportunities for juniors and new seniors created unexpected issues.
Indeed, for a whole year, nobody contacted Farrar about reviving the club. “Even though with [COVID-19] it was still going to be no — it took a while for someone to step up,” Farrar said.
Eventually, however, Bohney offered to help. At that point, COVID-19 regulations were still making getting together complicated, but Bohney took the opportunity to help out as best he could.
“I created the publicity materials, and then I also helped Mrs. Gaynor and Mrs. Farrar decide when the club should meet”, he said.
Once Farrar and Gaynor agreed club meetings would follow regulations and pose no risk, the club made its long-awaited return, and has been meeting every Thursday, with Bohney taking the position of club president.
The number of extracurricular activities available to students has understandably shrunk since the beginning of the pandemic. But with COVID-19 protocols loosening, many clubs are now reopening and finding their new normal. Because of this, students have both an opportunity and a responsibility to make that possible.
Farrar says the best thing students can do is to look at the list of clubs that existed prior to COVID-19 and “if there’s one you want to get involved with, get in there, jump in, ask.”
If one does not know of any former clubs, or has a completely new idea, Farrar says that a good first step is to “start feeling a passion you have, and find an advisor.” If students step up to form new clubs and revive old ones, the pandemic can become an opportunity for students to become leaders and eschew old bureaucracy and tradition to create a new set of clubs with fresh leadership that can provide opportunities to all PHS students.
“If there’s one you want to get involved in, jump in, ask.”
– Amy Farrar
Although the old custom of offering snacks is still up in the air, things are mostly back to usual within the Writers’ Block club. Still, Farrar is thankful that students have the opportunity to share their writing skills, as well as their own unique perspectives, stories and voices.
She says that “it’s really the connectivity that I think is special about Writers’ Block; that connectivity, and that accepting environment.”
“It keeps me writing even if I don’t have a project to work on,” he said, adding “it’s kinda fun to be able to do it in a really chill environment,” Bohney said.
If one is interested in sharing creative writing in a judgment-optional, welcoming community, they should come room 244 after school every Thursday.
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