Besides the typical learning, our school provides us with unique opportunities to grow and develop. Taking a usual Math, Science, or English class is not enough. Therefore, we need to work the engines of our brain by doing diverse activities. For instance, we should practice a sport or be part of a club.
The debate club is an important part of our community. Back when we attended school in person, debate classes were Tuesday afternoons for about an hour and a half. Now, not everyone can attend the meetings because the time is inconvenient for them. Something that has changed is how the coach gives instructions. Normally, he would be explaining and the students would be asking questions simultaneously. However, seeing that it is virtually, members of the club don’t get to opine, and it becomes less dynamic.
Reaching out to the coach through an email and not privately in person has been harsh for the students. Nonetheless, we don’t let these circumstances ruin a great experience. That is why Lux Mundi is hosting its annual debate tournament via Zoom on the first weekend of December. Obviously, it’s not going to be the same, but it is a way of making the best out of a bad situation.
Another club that the school has is Model UN. This club is a little bit similar to the debate club. The difference is that here they don’t argue to figure out which side is correct but to find a solution diplomatically. A Model UN Zoom meeting starts with the students discussing a current event by sharing their perspective. After this, the teacher starts explaining how to write a speech properly and some helpful tips. Naturally, presenting an argument and expressing yourself by giving a speech virtually does not feel the same. However, this doesn’t prevent the students from learning and enjoying everything.
Moving on to sports, some of them, like chess and ping pong, were cut off. Sadly, there was no way these activities could be part of this school year. However, there is still soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Even though it may seem impossible to take this type of class, the teachers have done a great job pulling this off. Each sport has a different schedule so that students can participate in more than one. The main focus of the class is physical training with a ball or with drills. This way, the students will be ready to start playing as soon as they can.
Lastly, there’s the newspaper club. Formerly, we got together during lunch on mondays to discuss future article topics, clear any doubts and keep up to date with everything. Now, we have virtual meetings during the fist break on Wednesdays. What mostly changed was the process of uploading an article. At first, there were some difficulties regarding the Google Classroom, but we managed to overcome them. Also, writing about school news has been a little bit challenging due to the fact that the current activities are not as constant as they used to be. Nevertheless, the newspaper is working really hard to make quality content despite the circumstances.
The fact that we can receive most of the extracurricular activities, despite this misfortune occurrence, is a blessing. It means that we can get through anything if we make the best out of a bad situation.