What Student Senate Is Doing To Adapt
December 17, 2020
Plainwell High School’s Student Senate is more unified and less contentious than the one in Washington, D.C., but it still faces challenges unique to the times.
The Student Senate is a group of students that serves and makes decisions for all of the students in the school. For example, spirit weeks for big athletic events or seasons, putting together activities for pep assemblies, themes for school dances, etc. But because of Covid-19, this year has been a lot harder than normal for the student senators, and they have had to adapt to this new way of doing their job.
They now face the task of helping to maintain the spirit in a virtual school scenario, but even back when the school was on a hybrid schedule before the governor’s most recent order and the school board’s decision to go virtual, it was a challenge.
We have so much to do, and there are things relying on students that are quarantined. We have never had a hybrid schedule to separate us all. But overall I feel like we are doing pretty okay. — Secretary Grace Ruimveld ‘22
The hybrid and virtual schedules are difficult for the Student Senate because they need all of their members to be able to work together, and that is difficult when they are all separated.
I feel like it has been difficult for all of us. We try something and then it fails, so I feel like there will be a point where we will have to tone back how much we are doing. I feel like I have done a pretty good job at keeping it under control and other kids are struggling a little bit more with the emotional stance on it. — Treasurer Ryan Robinson
Robinson stated that some students are struggling emotionally with the situation. This pandemic has been very hard on a lot of people personally, especially high school students with all of their yearly plans being taken away.
I feel like we are more ‘go with the flow’ honestly just because everyone else has to deal with pressure right now so we can’t really do anything quickly. We have to play it by ear because if we plan something it could completely change in two weeks. — Vice President Ashlyn Thom ‘22
Thom describes the struggles to fulfill the students’ Homecoming experience but explains the obstacles in the way.
We tried so many different things to try to make the dance happen but we knew it just wasn’t going to. We all are kind of bummed about it. — Vice President Ashlyn Thom ‘22
As president of the Student Senate, I have had to help manage a lot of the changes that have had to happen during these times. But, we keep moving along in doing our best and coming up with new ways to keep the school as fun as the school could possibly be with all of these restrictions. Just know that we are doing our best with the options we have. — President Andrew Carlyle ‘21
For example, instead of the regular holiday spirit week, Senate is encouraging spirit week activities that will revolve around setting your zoom icons and/or dressing up on the camera. Here are the suggestions for the rest of the week:
TUESDAY – Santa / Santa Hat Day
THURSDAY – Snowman Day
FRIDAY – Non-Christmas Holiday Day (Celebrate other non-Christmas Winter Holidays)
The morning of these days is when you should change your Icon so it is visible during that school day.
