Olympic Heights offers countless opportunities for students to get involved; one of the most popular being clubs. With over 80 percent of the OH student body still in distance learning mode and not physically on campus, this year is going to be like no other for clubs, but the club sponsors and leaders remain positive at what this school year’s club meetings and community service will look like.  

Olympic Heights Student Government Association is looking forward to the upcoming Club Rush which will be held virtually at https://sites.google.com/stu.palmbeachschools.org/olympicheightsclubrush/home today, Oct. 23. SGA faculty sponsor Ms. Samantha Moore, the SGA sponsor explained, “Student Government at Olympic Heights strives to create and preserve a united student body; a body infused with pride and spirit, which encompasses a diverse spectrum of students, faculty and community, by promoting involvement within OHHS.” 

While it is difficult to keep the schools’ hopes high during such unprecedented times, SGA is working hard on alternative options. Moore highlights that “the first Spirit Week was held this week, and “COVID-19 Care Baskets were dropped off for teachers and staff.” While COVID-19 has created obstacles, SGA is working their hardest to keep the school spirited and motivated.

One club many students take part in is Key Club. Mr. Paul Weiland, the club’s faculty sponsor, notes, “Many people think Key Club is about making keys… or they know it is the ‘community service club’, but the real purpose of Key Club is to help build leadership skills through service to our community.” The club is “student led and student run so the members and officers get real world experience in planning and carrying out various activities that they’re passionate about,” Weiland explained. 

While COVID-19 has taken a toll on where Key Club can volunteer, they are coming up with creative ways to make their presence felt. For instance, according to Weiland, this year Key Club is planning to incorporate “a pen-pal relationship with Sonata Senior Living Center, to give those folks a chance of communication since most visiting is now non-existent” and even “help the younger kids with schooling via tutoring sessions (online).” 

Another club that grabs many students’ attention is Best Buddies. Ms. Kristen Bombonato, the club faculty sponsor, shares that “the purpose of Best Buddies is to create opportunities for one-to-one friendships, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.” This year Best Buddies is planning on having “inclusive, interactive virtual events.” Best Buddies helps to create one-on-one friendships that are meaningful and heartfelt. 

This year OH has several new clubs for students to take part in. One of the new clubs is UNICEF. According to the UNICEF official website, it is their “goal to empower youth in the United States with the resources and skills to be effective global citizens — thinking globally and acting locally for the world’s most vulnerable children.” Ms. Kathleen Keithley, the UNICEF club faculty sponsor assures the OH community that ”it will be [a] student led [club]” maintaining the same ideals that the bigger organization puts in place. Keithley says that this year the students who founded this club at our school want “to do a lot of fundraising to help children in other countries” 

There are over 30 clubs at OH, so there is definitely a club for every student. Students interested in getting involved should be sure to check out today’s virtual Club Rush.