The Morro Bay High School Associated Student Body (MBHS ASB) is preparing for the second year of their “crew” competition. Students will continue to participate in ASB activities in order to win points for their crew, but like every other aspect of school during quarantine, the crew competition is evolving to fit into a digital world.
The competition between the four crews (Caspian, Aegean, Caribbean, and Baltic) was cut short last year by the COVID-19 pandemic before its grand finale, a trip for the victors to Six Flags Magic Mountain. While this year’s prize is yet to be determined, the crew competition started over at the beginning of this school year. Students remain in the same crews as last year, the points have been refreshed, and according to ASB teacher Mrs. Weitzen, freshmen have been evenly distributed and given their corresponding crew bracelets.
While MBHS continues “distance learning,” ASB can no longer spread school spirit from the quad, and has to look to online platforms to connect the student body. ASB has run an Instagram account long before virtual school (@mbhs_asb), with posts dating back to 2015. They recently created a Google Classroom page, which students can access from the code provided by their teachers.
Though the internet may be replacing the quad for ASB activities, everything else that ASB is known for will be returning this year. This includes spirit days, spirit weeks, dances, and the newest addition to the school spirit roster, crew points. When asked how students can win crew points, Weitzen answered “Participate in our virtual events, come to the all-school zoom events.”
Senior Nolan Ashworth has been involved in managing the crews since their creation. “We came up with the idea of like ‘Harry Potter’ houses, and we thought that was really interesting to do,” Ashworth explains. It was him who came up with the names.
It is going to be a challenging year for ASB, and Ashworth expressed this sentiment. “It’s really hard not being in school, not being able to do a water balloon toss and stuff like that.” However Ashworth reassures that “If, and or when, we go back to school, after winter break, we will definitely have some more stuff planned.”
Weitzen informed that “Students can earn points for their crew by participating, attending events, and tagging MBHS ASB and their crew name in Instagram stories.” Students looking to earn points for their crew should check the ASB Instagram account and the All School Google Classroom regularly for updates on ASB events. There is also a crew points scoreboard right here on the Spyglass.
