How clubs are remaining virtual

CLUBS REMAIN VIRTUAL Clubs continue to meet online as Ladue announces decision to stay virtual

CAROLINE TYRRELL news editor

illustration by | ERICA SHI

BEST BUDDIES

While some high school sports are allowed to play and compete, clubs at Ladue have yet to get the approval from the district to meet in person. Many clubs, such as Best Buddies, a club that works to create friendships with students with disabilities, have had to adjust to the reality of meeting and functioning entirely online.

“Usually a lot of people sign up at the activities fair, but this year we didn’t have that,” Chapter President and senior Katie Tonn said. “We have a couple new freshmen but it’s been pretty hard to recruit new members.”

Although meeting online is not ideal, Best Buddies has adjusted many features of the club. Members have worked to reach out to their buddies digitally.

“I feel like it’s almost easier to meet with your buddy online,” Tonn said. “Usually it’s hard for people to make time to actually do something in person, but now they can just call or text all the time.”

DANCE MARATHON

For many clubs, meeting online has been difficult. Ladue Dance Marathon, a club that raises money for Children’s Miracle Network, has been meeting over Zoom for the past three months.

“It’s definitely harder in the meetings to get everyone comfortable sharing their ideas over Zoom,” Executive Director and senior Caroline Powell said. “It is pretty awkward having to unmute yourself when you don’t really know what’s going on.”

With most things being virtual, the possibility of having an in-person Dance Marathon event is currently unknown. The organization has had to explore the option of having a virtual event, something they’ve never done before.

“We don’t really know what it will look like because everything is always changing,”

Powell said. “We were thinking of maybe doing a final fundraising day if we have to be virtual.”

LINK CREW

For a few clubs, a lot of adjustments had to be made when Ladue announced the decision to remain virtual this semester. For example, Link Crew, a club dedicated to helping freshmen get adjusted, had to cancel a crucial part of their year: freshmen orientation.

“Orientation helps [freshmen] build their first relationships in high school,” Link Crew Leader and senior Essette Workineh said. “We are the first people that can answer some of their big questions and really just help them with the transition.”

Due to online school, Link Crew has not gotten the chance to meet with the freshmen this year. However, despite the difficulties, Link Crew is working on making some accommodations to be better connected with the freshmen and new students.

“This year we haven’t been as connected to them as we hoped to be,” Workineh said. “We are hoping that changes; moving forward, we will probably start seeing our seminar classes.”