Creating future-ready graduates

Fluvanna County High School (FCHS) has made club activities more of a focus for the 2022-2023 school year after having years in the past where clubs were not a priority. Clubs meet bi-weekly on Wednesdays from 3:00pm – 3:40pm, running on an activity schedule to ensure equal learning time for all classes. The High School’s principal, Margo Bruce, found that by providing opportunities for students to regularly attend clubs that they find interest in, it would be preparing, “future-ready graduates,” by using high quality work-based learning.

The Virginia 5 C’s Wheel is a wheel designed to show what will best prepare students for post-high school life challenges. It begins with Critical Thinking Skills, then goes to Collaboration Skills, Communication Skills, Creative Thinking Skills, and ends with Citizenship Skills.

Evelyn Demers, a senior at FCHS, took Virginia’s 5 C’s one step further and created a logo specific to Fluvanna. She collaborated with her art teachers, Amanda Clements and Michelle Coleman. Together, they made a Fluco F with a graduation cap on top, and the 5 C’s representing the wings on the F. This logo became branded on shirts, and they were distributed to all staff at Fluvanna’s Opening Convocation.

To read more on Evelyn’s story, click this link.

FCHS has added numerous clubs to their list by student proposal, like Modeling Club and Birding Club.

Some clubs that are offered are only to select members. Sometimes they are by invitation only, or an interview is needed to be accepted in. Those clubs are AP Enviro Club, Beta Club, Fishing Club, Fluco Club, Prom Committee Club, and Social Skills Club.

Some clubs were founded based on their correlation with a regular class that students take in their four block schedule. These clubs are AP Enviro Club (founded from the Advanced Placement Environmental Science Class), Art Club (Art 1,2,3 classes), EMS Explorers (collaborated with the EMT class), Engineering Club (collaborated with Fluvanna’s engineering class), FFA (in coercion with Horticulture), Investors Club (provided by the Economics and Finance teacher).

Many teachers at Fluvanna have stepped into leadership roles by sponsoring clubs that students find group interest in. This encourages students to have bonds with their teachers, and see them as a trusted-adult.

For Rebecca Newman, PVCC Government and Politics teacher and Alliance Club sponsor, the energy that the students have in a safe environment makes her reassured in her job choice. “I believe those club members who become my students feel more comfortable in my classes. They know they can be themselves,” says Newman. Because of last year’s club catastrophe, and the year before that in 2021 it was near impossible to hold clubs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Newman has found appreciation in the increased club time Bruce has offered. She adds that, “We are starting to rebuild club activities and membership to their pre-covid status, but it will all probably take several more years.” With her finding so much joy in bonding with these students, Newman states that she would, “love to see every Wednesday on an activity schedule.”

Marci Guthrie, English teacher at FCHS, is also a sponsor of a club and finds positive affirmation through being a leader to the students. Guthrie is the sponsor of the FCA, which stands for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “Being a leader has allowed me to understand and hear students’ opinions, thoughts, and feelings,” says Guthrie. She adds that this year’s schedule has allowed for easier participation as the clubs are being held during the day instead of before or after school hours, which was a challenge for a lot of the underclassmen at Fluvanna to conquer. For her club specifically, “We have had our regular attendees along with new attendees each club day!”

Here is the link to preview the clubs that Fluvanna offers.