SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Many districts around the state have been forced to cancel, postpone or adapt extracurricular clubs and other activities in light of COVID-19 concerns.
What You Need To Know
- Being a well-rounded student who is involved in leadership activities is important to showcase on just about any college application
- This school year, many Ohio districts have cancelled extracurriculars in order to comply with COVID-19 guidelines
- Kent State University leaders recognize it’s out of the student’s control and believe the lack of opportunities to safely participate in certain programs will be taken into consideration
What impact could that have on students’ futures that need to showcase leadership experience on college applications?
The Shaker Heights City School District is starting the school year off virtually this year.
Students like Zach Lehner have been looking forward to senior year since freshman year and he certainly never expected this milestone life chapter to end this way.
The 17-year-old is an active leader and spirited senior. He misses his classmates.
“We’re all one senior class and we’ve been together since freshman year so it’s just, I really want to go through it all together. So, I think that’s the hardest, one of the hardest parts is just not being able to see those people that I have those interactions with,” said Lehner.
Lehner found his passions in extracurricular activities like the Student Group on Race Relations or SCGORR, Model United Nations, wrestling and theatre.
“Those things are really important to me because it gives me a creative outlet to just be myself in a way that I can’t be in in my normal classes in school,” said Lehner.
Everything is up in the air. Wrestling and theatre may not be able to happen at all, but Model UN and SCGORR are clubs working to find virtual alternatives.
At times, it’s been hard for Lehner to cope and adapt with college looming.
“I really think who I am as a person and the way I show myself as a leader is really proven through these things that I’m involved in. And I’d like colleges to really be able to see that and it is going to be difficult without them happening in the way they normally would my senior year,” said Lehner.
Being a well-rounded student who is involved in leadership activities is important to showcase on just about any college application.
Kent State University Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Admissions Sean Broghammer believes the lack of opportunities students have to safely participate in certain programs will be taken into consideration and he recognizes it’s out of the student’s control.
“There is that disappointment just that students that have been in high school, they’ve been part of clubs or organizations or like I said marching band or others and now they just can’t and it’s not accessible for them and so that’s just disappointing altogether…I got to believe colleges are going to be accepting, they’re going to be understanding. We’re all trying to make changes as necessary to support students and families through this process,” said Broghammer.
As far as Lehner’s post-graduation plans go, nothing is set in stone, but right now, he has his sights set on attending a university where he can double major in film and business.
He’s holding on to hope for the class of 2021.
“I think I’ll be happy wherever I go,” said Lehner.
