How students at one Miami high school kept their clubs alive during the pandemic

Remote learning during the pandemic halted the fun part of school for many students, as after-school clubs and activities were either curtailed or pivoted to Zoom.

For many students, school clubs mean much more than just after-school meetings or something to post on their college applications.

Like team sports, high school clubs provide a space for students to make friends and develop their passions.

We talked to students at one Miami-Dade public school, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High in northeast Miami-Dade, about the impact the pandemic had on them and their after-school activities.

Vanessa Murat was president of her senior class last year at Krop and witnessed the pandemic’s toll on her classmates.

“Some seniors have just lost all their motivation and all their hope,” she said. “I know people who just don’t show up to school and who quit all their clubs.”

She, too, had trouble keeping a positive spirit last year, with so many events and activities canceled last year due to the pandemic.

“I loved my extracurriculars; I always looked forward to that. Now that they are online, I barely do anything. We don’t get any participation, even from our board.”

Some students, however, did their best to keep others motivated, organizing online meetings and events.

Senior Cecilia Edelberg was the president of three major clubs, including student government, newspaper, and Model United Nations.

“I’ve learned so many skills, especially when organizing, planning, doing logistics and organizing events that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. It’s a great supplement to everything you learn in class.”

Cecilia engineered an array of online activities to keep club members active, like online events with special speakers, drives, and even online debate conferences.

Agustin Zelikson, too, organized online activities as president of Krop’s Socratic Club — an open forum where students discuss and debate newsy topics. He brought in speakers over Zoom, created a poetry writing contest and other activities to keep members active.

“When [students] are in quarantine, they’re not going anywhere, they’re not seeing anyone: That’s when it’s important to share your thoughts.”

He is proud of the work he and other club presidents have done to keep their clubs alive.

“I honestly think that it shows the whole pandemic shows the strength of student leaders,” he said. “It shows how much people actually care, and how it’s not just to show it in your college application.”

For some, clubs don’t represent a chance to learn life skills. They are a place to express themselves freely alongside their friends, which is key during a young person’s developmental years.

Tucker Breier was a Krop senior last year and contended with long hours of working remotely. He also was concerned about how he and others who were in Krop’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club were not able to meet in person throughout the pandemic.

“I know kids whose only place to be open and out was during GSA, but they can’t be,” Tucker said. “They can’t go to GSA at home because their parents are there and they don’t feel accepted. So, they have no way to express themselves.”

Dr. Adam Kosnitzky, Krop’s principal, said that unless district guidelines change, the school will have all of the extracurriculars from before the pandemic when school starts in August.

“We’re excited to get giving the full experience when you come to Dr. Michael Krop. It’s our intent that we’re going to have activities and clubs,” Kosintzky said.