Clubs aims to create a sense of community

Prepping+for+their+Valentines+Day+carnation+sales%2C+junior+Katie+Lane+and+freshman+Tylee+Harrell+display+their+recently+finished+banner.

Nicola Santangelo

Prepping for their Valentine’s Day carnation sales, junior Katie Lane and freshman Tylee Harrell display their recently finished banner.

 

Sophomore Haley Glover arrives to her zero hour class of nine, hoping to unite the school. Glover, an active participant in Renaissance Committee, is dedicated to making her school the best it can be through multiple strategies.

“We do a lot of things,” Glover said. “We recognize outstanding staff members within the building, we put on drives and fundraisers and do other things to give love to those around us.”

Adviser Jason Springer promotes the philosophy of creating a sense of community in the building and strengthening the relationships between students and staff. For example, the group made snowflakes for the holidays to hang in the hallways.

“Although it is a small gesture, I have gotten a lot of comments on how people enjoy them and numerous teachers have came up to me and complimented them,” Springer said.

Giving back to teachers and staff is important to Springer and the members.

“Our philosophy as a committee is to create a greater sense of community within the building and strengthening the relationships between the staff and students,” Springer said.

The spotlight wall near the middle stairwell was created by the club to foster connections between the students and staff.

“I think it is a great way for students to learn more things about their teachers they don’t know,” sophomore Malyiah Finch said.

In addition to projects like the spotlight wall, staff member of the month and staff button sales, the committee works to benefit the community as well.

“We did a fundraiser called Hygiene Hype, we brought products to the homeless shelter,” Glover said. “We did an Alzheimer’s week and volunteered. We had sign up sheets to anyone could come. We like to get a lot of people involved. The more the merrier.”

The committee accepts students from all grades and meets during zero hour.

“I like that it is a set class, which makes it consistent so we are able to get things accomplished,” freshman Tylee Harrell said.

Although members of the committee meet every morning to work, Finch feels a large part of the student population is unaware of their goals.

“I don’t think a lot of people know what Renaissance Committee does, and when people think about it, they think medieval times,” Finch said.  “It’s not a group that’s known as well as StuCo. It doesn’t get as much recognition as other clubs, and I don’t really know why.”

The committee lacks numbers, but Finch feels it’s still a strong community.

“I think it’s a special group because it’s a small group of people who just do things for other people,” she said.