Tuesday, November 5, 2024

CHS Clubs Persevere During Pandemic

Coronado High School boasts 42 clubs this school year, covering a wide range of interests. Joining a club is a great way to earn community service hours, meet new people, and make an impact on the world around you. Not to mention, it also reflects positively on your character and boosts your college applications. This year however, clubs’ standard operating procedures have been significantly altered due to COVID-19. Here are a handful of CHS clubs and how they have adapted to the pandemic. 

The Make a Wish Club is dedicated to serving kids with life-threatening illnesses. Members strive to spread hope, love, and compassion to children undergoing challenging situations by granting them a wish, as the name suggests. As of now, the club has been meeting through Zoom calls. 

Make A Wish club members at an event pre-COVID. Photo submitted by Make a Wish.

“I really hope that we can do small meetings soon. In the Make a Wish Organization, it is important that you see the impact that you are making on the kids and if we cannot meet them it makes it very hard to inspire all of the members of the club,” a representative explained.

Watching a child’s face light up with joy is one of the greatest rewards about being a part of this club. If you are a student and want to join the club or a community member desiring to support, follow the Make a Wish Instagram @makeawishcoronado.

Members of S2S at an event last year. Club president Lauren featured on right. Photo: Student to Student Instagram page.

Student to Student (S2S) helps to integrate students into the CHS community. Leaders specifically reach out to new students because of Coronado’s vast military network. Over the span of distance learning, members have been extremely active compared to other clubs. In April, the Month of the Military Child, a Zoom meeting was conducted with several speakers. One featured guest was Captain John DePree, the commanding officer of Naval Base Coronado.

S2S members at a fundraising event at Gelato Paradiso pre-COVID. Photo submitted by S2S.

“We’ve been active all summer. Our meetings have been mainly through Zoom and we’ve had one event involving Netflix Party,” shared Lauren O’Donnell, president of S2S. 

New members can direct message any of S2S’s social media accounts (instagram @coronados2s), email the club president at [email protected], or simply contact a member of the club. 

Junior Optimist Club is a part of an international service organization dedicated to giving back to the community through volunteer work. Members met on Zoom for the first meeting of the school year, but many had opportunities over the break to contribute to community service and volunteer hours.

“Over the summer, members met for social distanced bay cleanups. Members also decorated cards for the children at Rady’s (Children’s Hospital),” a representative shared. 

Jr. Optimist members at a recent beach clean-up. Photo: Jr. Optimist Instagram page.

Jr. Optimist members have countless opportunities to contribute to the improvement of the Coronado community, including beach cleanups, food drives, yard sales, and even operating a table during the annual Christmas parade. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, most of these volunteer activities are still available to take on. Anyone interested in joining Jr. Optimist can contact club advisor Mrs. Erin Downey or direct message the Instagram account @chsjoiclub.

Jr. Optimist members during a holiday event pre-COVID. Photo: Jr. Optimist Instagram page.

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still various ways for youth to become involved in the community and truly make a positive impact on the world. Each club has adapted and overcome the unprecedented challenges COVID has presented. Membership has been minimally impacted, so do not settle for being confined to a computer screen –support CHS clubs!

 



Bella Villarin
Bella Villarin
Bella is a proud military brat who has been a resident of Coronado since 2015. She was born in Japan, and after a short stay in Virginia, traveled extensively throughout Asia while living in Singapore and picking up another language. A senior at Coronado High School, Bella can be found at the driving range or golf course when not in school, studying, writing, playing the guitar, or spending time with her family. Have news to share? Send tips, story ideas or letters to the editor to: [email protected]

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