Working to make this year great

Summer already seems like a dream. No more late nights, no more sleeping in and no more lazing around. It is now too late to regret activities not done or trips not taken. Hours of homework are back, and there is no going back.

For a lucky or unlucky few, it is their senior year — a year to remember, a year to go crazy and do what one has been too shy to do before. And activities have been planned to make this year the best yet for seniors at River Valley High School.

For some, the school year started three weeks ago — but for student officers at RVHS, long before school started, they were preparing to make this year one of the best ever.

ASB officials began planning this year's activities during the summer to start the year off with a bang, and evidence suggests they succeeded. Senior Breakfast on the first day of school was a great success with much of the senior class there to enjoy the assortment of food. The Welcome Back Rally was one of the best, and the first Black Light Dance attracted a great crowd.

When asked to rate leadership performance this year, Alex Samay, a junior, said, "I think they are doing an extravagantly, spectacularly magnificent and completely, enjoyably amazing and awesome job!"

The above events were all in the first week, which has long come and gone, but dedication to make this year great stands firm. There is much more planned for the weeks to come. Events like homecoming are approaching fast, along with fundraisers, such as the Drive One 4 Ur School on Saturday.

Of course, there are many more officers besides class and ASB busy preparing for this year. Some, like members of Link Crew, received training during the summer to prepare them for their responsibilities. Others started the year running.

For example, as president of the Chess Club, I would say my biggest worry as a club officer is getting more members, whereas Nikki Lee Hernandez, Key Club president, said, "We are not much worried about members because we are the best and the biggest student-led organization worldwide. While we do want more members, attracting new ones is not one of our top worries."

For some clubs, the number of members can make or break it. With only limited time available for club meetings, clubs compete against each other to attract members. This is especially difficult for new clubs, for they do not have a strong membership base already established.

So the game is on as clubs get ready for Club Day, the main membership drive of the year.

Yes, summer is over, but there is still a lot left to enjoy. School doesn't only offer stressful course work, it also offers great and fun choices like dances, rallies and clubs for students to enjoy. These activities have many people behind them dedicated to making them enjoyable. So why look longingly back at summer break when you can enjoy the present?

Manjinder Singh is a senior at River Valley High School. His column appears every six weeks in Education.