SHS needs activism to allow students to thrive

SHS needs activism to allow students to thrive

Baylee Comer

Co-Editor-in-Chief

We here at The Booster believe that a group is needed at SHS to foster the idea of activism in students’ minds. This group will address the issues and concerns of the student body and bring to light any problems that require change. These are changes that may affect the whole school or just a certain population of students. The group will be a representation of students, and act as a go-between to the administration and student body. It will create a better learning environment for students and will create a better sense of school participation from within.

If needed, officers for the group will be made up of class officers from each year. The Booster staff would like to suggest that there be no student leaders for the group; instead, we would like to see a committee set up with representatives from each grade level. The group will appoint a member/members to be in charge of a certain issue or topic that may arise from student concerns. These students must be passionate about the topic and willing to advocate for the SHS student body to see the problem resolved.

The group should meet monthly or biweekly for this program to be successful.

Every meeting will be used to check the progress of each project or to hear the student body voice its concerns and issues. Once there is a concern, the group must address the concern, and members are appointed to the issue. The members will then try to amend the situation by talking to students to see what they would like done and to administration to find a solution.

This group should address national issues as well, and in fact, The Booster would like it to be required. We would like to see this group understand what these issues are and how they affect society. For example, national issues, such as March for Our Lives, the protest created by survivors of the Marjory-Stoneman Douglas School shooting in Parkland, Florida, would be appropriate for students to take a stand on.

From this activism group, students will learn:

• First Amendment rights for students, which are different from the First Amendment rights outside of school

• critical thinking and problem solving

• how to create and defend a valid argument

• negotiation between parties

• learn how to make change, not just

talk about it

• how to work with leaders in our community

• how to become an activist in adulthood

The Booster believes the objective of this group is not to try to find problems within the school but to allow students an opportunity for their voices to be heard and to allow valuable life skills to

be taught. This group should stay separate from Student Council as it does not hold the same governing ideas.

Additionally, The Booster staff asks the administration to hear our advice for the school and to consider the decision of creating such a group. We would also like to ask teachers to please contemplate sponsoring such a group and aid in helping our efforts.