This article won honorable mention in the 2021 Michigan Interscholastic Press Association spring awards ceremony.
In December of 2020, Student Council and the Counseling Department launched Social Sessions, a weekly virtual hangout on Google Meet for students to connect. Their informative flyer contains the links to the meeting.
Grade levels attend at different times on Wednesdays, each session lasting for half an hour of trivia (with prizes), lighthearted discussions and more activities to come in following weeks.
At the December 16 meeting, participants competed in a staff trivia and learned facts like computer teacher Dave Tull once interviewed and shook hands with Michael Jordan.
The idea for Social Sessions, according to counselor Kasey Halger, originated from a conversation with a parent concerned about how little students interact outside of academics this year.
“In a virtual world, interactions like the ones students had during in-person learning are simply hard to come by,” Hagler said. “Although there may be some dialogue in a virtual synchronous class, it can’t compare to the organic nature of a conversation and interaction that comes from being with other people at school.”
Hagler suggested holding Social Sessions knowing that even if students attend school virtually and do schoolwork, “it doesn’t mean they’re into school.”
“[Social Sessions are] a way to have a common experience,” Hagler said, “without the constraints of assignments and classrooms. A way for staff to get together with students and laugh about the same things.”
