We are excited to place the spotlight on our first extra-curricular club of the new year, as part of our monthly series where we go behind the scenes of our clubs and societies, here at ESMS. Politics Club at MES has now gone virtual and we caught up with Mrs Molloy to find out more.
January 2021 is about to go into the history books for the turmoil it has brought to Global Politics, with the official departure of Great Britain from the European Union and the storming of the US Capitol building in an attempt to prevent the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden. One extra-curricular club that has enjoyed picking apart and analysing these events, as they have unfolded across the world, is the Politics Club, run by Mrs Molloy and Mrs Wilkinson.
Both teachers are passionate about politics and we sat them down with Mrs Molloy and Mrs Wilkinson to find out more about the club, its members and all of the fun activities they get up to!
When was Politics Club set up? This is the 3rd year the club has been running.
When does Politics Club meet? We currently meet on Monday lunchtimes.
How many members do you have? We have around 15 members.
How can children join? The club is open to pupils in S1 to S3: anyone can join by contacting Mrs Molloy or Mrs Wilkinson.
What happens during an average meeting? During an average meeting we pick a current and controversial theme and discuss it. This week we are looking at trade versus human rights in China, last term we spent four weeks highlighting the ongoing election dispute in Belarus and featuring the women who challenged President Lukashenko.
How has the Club adapted during distance learning? Now the club is virtual, we continue to discuss a different big political issue each week but the question to be discussed is agreed in advance and we post some articles in the Team channel for anyone who wants to read more about it. So far we have discussed the US riots in the Capitol and the issue of a second Independence Referendum for Scotland.
What is one of your top highlights? One of our top highlights was last year when we held a mini United Nations Peace Conference, focusing on conflict in the Middle East. Different members of the club took on the role of delegates from different countries and researched their position. This gave pupils a better insight into the enormous challenges facing this region.
What are your goals? The goals of the Club are to encourage pupils to learn more about political issues and to give them a forum to share and shape their views on a wide range of domestic and international matters. We are always so impressed by their knowledge of current affairs and their desire to learn more!
Thank you to the Politics Club for letting us go behind the scenes!
If you are interested in discussing and analysing the world’s current affairs, Mrs Molloy and Mrs Wilkinson would be delighted to welcome you into the Club for their next Monday meeting.
