Online schooling, the modern solution to a worldwide pandemic, has created multiple obstacles for after-school clubs. So, how has Liberty’s Key Club been faring with online learning?

“Key Club is very different in a virtual setting in almost every way,” Key Club president Vincent Le said. “We hold meetings over Zoom, and the majority of the participants have their cameras off.”

Before Covid-19, Key Club members could attend events such as the District Convention (D-CON) and meet members from other high schools during these occasions, but now that all of these events are virtual, the sense of community that Key Club usually offers is no longer the same. 

“It’s hard to develop friendships behind screens, especially when cameras are off and microphones are muted,” junior member Trixie Nguyen said. 

The switch from in-person to online clubs has not only impacted participation and connections between members, but it has also drastically changed Key Club’s services and fundraisers.

“Our projects are much more difficult to conduct over Zoom,” vice president Victor Nguyen said. “Volunteering is very meaningful when one can form connections with other people, and Covid-19 has hindered those interactions.”

In spite of this, the members of Key Club continue to work towards bettering the community through different online platforms, including creating thank you cards for frontline workers, playing FreeRice and BeanBeanBean—online trivia websites that donate rice and beans to charity for every correctly answered question—and signing petitions for environmental causes in the midst of this pandemic. 

“I know Key Club would be a lot more impactful in person because we could take advantage of more opportunities and resources,” Le said. “Nevertheless, the officers and I have managed to do our best with what we have.”