Potential New Club At WHS
Food for Thought is a new experimental program held during the lunch and A&P periods to let students discuss current events and national or world issues.
During the last few years at Waverly, Alicia Shoemaker, a language arts teacher, sponsored the International A&P where students led discussions much like her new platform, Food for Thought.
Due to the new arrangement of lunch and A&P, Shoemaker no longer had her group of student leaders, but she still wanted to have a space where students could express their different opinions in a safe environment. She organized a first trial run on Oct. 7 to test the new layout. Student leaders from her International A&P each contacted several students and asked if they'd like to join in.
Students that participated were asked to bring a dish for everyone to share as they discussed that week's topic of the issues surrounding employment and homelessness.
"The level of maturity that the students had was expected. There were two or three times when I or Mrs. Sellon had to interject and say, 'Hey, be respectful,' but overall, they held a very mature discussion," Shoemaker said.
Students present also seemed pleased that everyone was respecting each other's opinions so well.
"There were many opinions, but everybody kept a level head and respected everybody else's opinions," freshman Baylor Brandon said.
Brandon was asked to attend by senior Emma Scheel. Scheel was not a part of Shoemaker's International A&P last year, but was interested in leading.
"There aren't nearly enough opportunities for students to express their views on often avoided topics," Scheel said.
Shoemaker is very passionate about letting students have a safe space where they can freely express their opinions and learn to respect other’s opinions. She had fire in her eyes as she talked about the direction she wanted Food for Thought to take.
“My original vision for it is for it to be as big as possible, with maybe four or five rooms going on at once. I would love for it to be a club,” Shoemaker said.
Having a place where opinions are expressed without getting attacked is something not often found in a high school setting.
“I think it’s important that students especially have something like this, because they are the future," Shoemaker said.
Many students are looking forward to the advancement of Food for Thought. Dozens of students have already asked Shoemaker to join the next meeting on Oct. 28, but it’s already at capacity.
“Until we can expand, it’s invitation only, and we’re already at capacity. I don’t want anyone to feel excluded, but it’s a process," Shoemaker said. "I look forward to having a huge amount of people in Food for Thought when it grows.”
