Features

Webb clubs inspire creativity and community amidst COVID-19

Wura Ogunnaike, Oma Sukul, and Vivien Xi

November 2, 2020

Alice Phung (‘21) and Angeline Zhang (‘21) host online MAP Club meeting to connect Webb students with resources.

As module one ends, clubs organize and meet for the new school year. Undoubtedly, the outbreak of COVID-19 and online classes have affected the traditional club meetings and activities. However, ambitious club leaders are using this year as an opportunity to extend their impact building community and friendship, especially for new students.

The annual Webb Club Fair, just like any other Webb tradition this year, had been modified to fit Webb’s remote learning. Instead of a large gathering in the library, where club leaders bring posters and food to recruit newbies, the Club Fair took place online. In mid-September of 2020, Ken Rosenfeld, Dean of Campus Life, established a Club Webb-site. The Webb-site contains a list of returning clubs with links to their very own page, containing their mission statement, a club logo, a short intro video, and a live sign-up form.

“We tried to provide all the same information we would have received were we in-person, in the quad, during a live club fair,” said Mr. Rosenfeld. “I hope Webbies are as excited as I am about the new role clubs will play in the coming year and understand how this elevated responsibility requires a couple restrictions to keep everyone healthy, relaxed, and balanced throughout 2020-21 year.”

Many returning clubs, including the Environmental Club, needed to change the focus of their efforts, which used to be hands-on social activities like hosting campus cleanups and meeting with the administration to talk about Webb’s sustainability efforts. Instead, this year, they decided to focus more on hosting educational meetings over virtual platforms and activities amidst the pandemic.

“I think that we’re just interested in engaging more right now with the educational side of the Environmental Club,” said Jenna Hawkes (‘21), Co-President of the Environmental Club. “Also, we aim to encourage students to engage in environmental and social activism in local ways that are safe for them right now.”

“Personally, I had to stop being vegetarian for about six months for health reasons because of COVID-19, and that’s like a popular thing going on right now,” said Jenna. “People are making many sacrifices, and I want the main goal of the Environmental Club to be making sure that people continue to feel like they are part of something larger than them right now.”

Similarly, the Multiculturalism Awareness and Pluralism (MAP) Club has also been quite active in their activities. This year, they have hosted multiple events in the past month in collaboration with Latinx Culture Club and Gender/Sexuality Alliance Club.

“The MAP club is really excited to explore the possibilities of being virtual, at least for the first half of the year, and how we can use this medium to educate and advocate,” said Angeline Zhang (‘21), President of the MAP Club. “We hope that posting week-long events to Instagram this year would help make information a lot more accessible to Webb students. The MAP Club believes that in order to make having difficult conversations productive, all those who want to take part in the discourse should have access to the facts so that they could form an educated opinion.”

“Running this club online is definitely more work on the computer than it would have been in person,” said Alice Phung (‘21), Vice-President of the MAP Club. “It is also harder to connect with people and start conversations online, but it is also beneficial because we have more time to research and create posts.”

Despite the various changes club leaders had to make and get used to, they are undoubtedly taking a more pivotal role in fostering the sense of community at Webb. Many more exciting events hosted by club leaders are coming up in the next module, so make sure to stay tuned and check your emails for any news.

About the Contributors

Wura Ogunnaike, Editor of Culture & Lifestyle & Social Media Manager

After spending her summer in a lab for a science research program, Wura Ogunnaike (23’) is ready to return to the Webb Canyon Chronicle as a Social Media Manager and the Editor of Culture & Lifestyle. Reflecting her earlier efforts, Wura enjoys writing for the publication because of the freedom and wide range of topics she can cover in the process. This year, aside from having fun with writing, Wura is also taking on the responsibility of a Social Media Manager by utilizing social media outreach to attract more readership and enhance the reputation of the Webb Canyon Chronicle. Outside of the newsroom, Wura is a Jameson dorm prefect, where she always demonstrates the perfect balance between enacting leadership when necessary and showing kindness to her fellow dorm residents. In her free time, Wura likes to read, hike, and listen to Taylor Swift songs. However, her favorite song is “This is What Makes Us Girls” by Lana Del Rey. In addition to developing new interests, her goal for herself is to branch out in multimedia and work on social media-related publications. Some examples include podcasts or a photo gallery, which she has already exposed herself to during her first year of journalism. Favorite Song: "This Is What Makes Us Girls" by Lana Del Rey

Oma Sukul, Editor of Photography

One hundred kilometers an hour. Blink, and you’ll miss it. Hesitate, and it’s too late. But for Oma Sukul (‘23), Editor of Photography, it’s just another day of volleyball. Her lightning-fast reflexes not only help her as a varsity player out on the court, but they also enable her to capture spontaneous moments that are featured on the front page. However, Oma also treasures the slower parts of life. If one were to visit her home in Rancho Cucamonga, she would likely be found indulging in romance stories alongside her cat Lucky or singing along to Niel Diamond with her dad. She cherishes her connections with her friends and family, and you can always count on her to be genuine, friendly, and delightful in conversation. Born in Toronto, Canada, her transcontinental family means that she has roots spanning the Pacific Ocean. Contributing to dozens of articles last year, this year Oma seeks to further explore her creative side. Rediscovering her passion for the WCC's quizzes, she continues her quest to make the publication engaging and entertaining for all. One thing’s certain: whatever life throws at her, whatever the speed, you can count on Oma Sukul to spike it back with a smile. Favorite song: “I am... I said” by Neil Diamond

Vivien Xi, Chief Copy Editor

Vivien Xi (‘21) is a positive and energetic soul from Shanghai, China. This year, she has taken on the role of Chief Copy Editor for the Webb Canyon Chronicle. She is perfect for the position because she is motivated, responsible, organized, and loves helping others. Over the summer, she interned at multiple financial firms and worked at a restaurant. Vivien’s spirit animal is a bee, because they are always working diligently and socializing with others. Vivien's busy bee work ethic will serve her well working on the WCC team and in her near future, especially since she wants to study economics and media. She enjoys playing tennis, eating sushi, and hanging out with friends and family. She wishes to make a positive impact in life, big or small. Vivien has gained a confident voice from working with the Webb Canyon Chronicle. This year, she plans to use her voice and platform on the WCC to speak out about healthcare systems around the world and how COVID-19 has impacted those systems.