61 new and returning club leaders were able to finally gather together and discuss upcoming game plans for the 2021-2022 club year, in-person. With the elimination of online Zoom meetings and the idea of an extended Warrior Period finally being implemented, leaders worked to get their clubs promoted and events approved.
Here are profiles from several active clubs:
Earth Warriors
Earth Warriors is a club designed to inspire environmental activism through service projects and activities.
“Climate Change is hands down the most relevant and important issue that unfortunately falls on our generation” club leader Ellie Boitnott said. “Joining Earth Warriors not only helps raise environmental awareness but also lets members play a part in the mitigation of climate change” she added.
Ellie has been a club leader since her junior year, but she considers this year to be “the best year because being in person makes it easier to recruit people”.
Boitnott also expressed the frustration of meeting online last year and the benefits of being in-person.
“I was a co-leader of the Habitat for Humanity club last year. All club meetings were online and participation was very difficult to encourage. This year offers a more normal approach to club meetings that makes students feel more comfortable and willing to participate.” Ellie said.
“I love the idea of Fun Friday because it allows clubs to have enough time to actually meet and be productive with clubs. Fun Friday is a great break from the school day for students to do something they are passionate about. So far, Earth Warriors has led a Crozet Park trash clean up where members spent around 5 hours scanning the local park for trash. We are also planning to host a schoolwide recycling fundraiser in honor of National Recycling Week.”
Young AAPI of Cville (YAAPIC)
YAAPIC is a community-based organization designed to provide a safe environment for Asian American and Pacific Islander students and community members. With this being junior Maya Kim’s first year as a club leader, she has big plans for the upcoming school year.
“We hope to organize cultural events and activities that allow individuals to share their cultures as well as learning more about others. Additionally, we would like to collaborate with the Union of Color and the Multicultural club to design workshops and discussions for the middle and elementary school level to aid in combating racism at a local level”.
When asked why people should join YAAPIC, Maya stated, “To encourage diversity and cultural appreciation and awareness at Western. Especially with WAHS’ history, giving voice and a safe space for students of color is incredibly important.”
clubs.” said Maya.
Those who aren’t a part of the AAPI community can still join and advocate for AAPI inclusivity.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that partners with future and current homeowners to build safe, decent, and affordable homes for working families.
“We do a lot of fundraising events, and our big event coming up is called Rake-a-Thon where we rake lawns to raise money for Habitat,”current club President Grace Boitnott said.
Boitnott was the co-president of the HFH club last year, but she revealed the difficulties of leading a club virtually.
“Last year, I know it was really hard to set up a meeting and set up a Zoom and even promote the club in general, and that’s why we weren’t as active or able to do much. People wouldn’t have the motivation to attend the meetings, not to mention it was so difficult to organize stuff. This year is definitely much easier for club leaders to communicate with members and plan events and stuff like that” said Grace.
“I personally like Fun Friday because it extends Warrior Period, but at the same time if you don’t have something planned for your club or just don’t have anything to do in general, it’s too long of a period of time. I think normal Warrior Period is the perfect amount of time, and club meetings can happen more often that way.”