School is a place to learn, but it is also a place where we build community. Recent school sanctioned events have been seeing increasingly low participation, with the SIAC-organized Spring Fling dance even being cancelled. So how can we shift this trend back towards a culture where participation is not only expected, but enjoyed?

There are a variety of reasons for why participation is low. Maybe students feel like they are too consumed with other schoolwork or extracurricular activities to attend. Maybe they just are burnt out from social pressures and the never ending events in a day. Or maybe, they feel like they are making a statement by not attending. No matter the reason, the organizers of the events can feel the lack of energy.

It is not entirely a student issue. There are many events that feel unnecessary, such as assemblies with incessant announcements from teachers and activities that only allow for participation from a small group of students. Allowing time for activities in smaller group settings, such as advisory, can limit the feeling of superfluity and further promote community connection.

However, participation is not only low in special events such as dances, but also in student-run clubs and activities that occur within the day. During the club fair, everyone promises the same thing — put your name on our email list and we’ll give you a piece of candy! As the year goes on, students will attend one or two meetings before deciding that their participation was sufficient. This prevents these clubs from being able to make any meaningful change or any significant impact on an Upper School career. 

The issue with skipping does not just come from teachers forcing us to attend something. It is a larger issue that needs to be addressed through a change in perspective.

On Legacy Day, think about the impact that skipping has on the younger students in your group. At events such as the SDLC Conference, think about the impact that skipping has on the students who have spent time preparing the event. At sports games, think about the impact that the lack of energy and presence has on the students competing. 

Upper Schoolers are easily incentivized through food and the premise of something new and different. Promising donuts at club meetings can draw more students in, and doing something valuable with your time can help them come back. 

Having games or a fun theme at your sports game can attract fans, and they might leave with new memories or new friends. At the end of the day, enjoying these events all comes down to how we think about it, and whatever brings us there, it’s crucial that we stay and support.