By Claire Bauer, RCHS intern writer; courtesy photos

The welcome image from Rock Canyon’s Criminology and Forensics Club Instagram.

Having fun and finding light in dark times is often difficult, but rarely unachievable. Students attending online school at home, restricted from seeing friends in person and struggling with the shutdown of many sports and extracurricular activities, have demonstrated it is possible over the past several months. High school clubs have found ways to stay active without being able to gather in person. The community may often hear about the football team’s wins and losses or which cross country runners made state, but what about the less well-known groups?

Elijah Hughes is a sophomore at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) and a member of the Technology Student Association (TSA), a club that lets students explore the technical aspect of how things work. TSA is one of the many clubs that has remained functioning despite restrictions. “It’s been kind of weird honestly,” said Hughes. “This was my first year doing it and they just had one meeting and then let us do our own thing. They have had us be very independent, but I like how it’s all trial and error and how you get to see the things you put hard work and effort in to succeed.”

Sophomore Alexis Juanillo is the president and founder of the Forensics/Criminology club at RCHS. “The Forensics/Criminology club is a great club for anyone at Rock Canyon that is interested in the criminology and/or forensics fields,” stated Juanillo. “This club is easily able to continue during the pandemic due to its versatility; it is super easy to join the club and the meetings are not mandatory. While we are not able to take any trips or be in the classroom, we are still able to have guest speakers. We have had guest speakers from police departments, as well as crime scene investigators, deputy directors and many more.”

Joshua Lederman, Intro to Medicine Club president.

According to Kayla Murphy, a fellow sophomore member of the Criminology and Forensics Club, the speakers go into detail about what a day in the job would look like, what majors you would need to have, etc. “We have only been able to meet via Zoom, however, the meetings have still been fun and interactive,” said Murphy. “My favorite thing about the club is just getting to hear the guest speakers talk about their work in the field. It’s a really cool club and I hope we’re able to meet in person soon!”

RCHS junior Joshua Lederman leads the Intro To Medicine Club. Lederman claims the club has been able to expand to a new level that it has never been before, and it has been rewarding to lead.

“We meet every week and have different medical units that include lectures, activities, and a guest speaker from that field. This is an excellent opportunity for the members of our club to network with professionals from the field we desire to go into and ask questions to further explore different medical fields,” said Lederman. “Our club has transitioned to a fully remote environment. We are holding meetings on Zoom, but this has not stopped us from expanding. To some extent, being online has helped make it easier for guest speakers to join our club. We are also inspired by the bravery and compassion of the medical workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pushes me to pursue a career in medicine, knowing I will be able to help save the lives of many individuals in the future.”

Jags have found a way to continue to pursue their dreams for the future in spite of the challenges of the 2020-2021 school year.