Students actively volunteer at the Potomac Community Center

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WCHS students devote time into volunteering at the Potomac Community Center. Left to Right: Beth Coffman, Assistant Director of Potomac Community Center, Luke Sumberg, Sydney Rodman, Macafie Bobo, Abbey Zheng, Julia Greenberg, Jordyn Reicin, Peter Selikoqirz, Director of Potomac Community Center, Adam Horowitz, Andrew Chan.

By David Malament, Productions Manager

In September 2018, the Potomac Community Center director, Peter Selikowitz, had the idea to start a student advisory board to brainstorm new events and activities for the PCC.

“A lot of attendance at the PCC is students, it’s important to hear the ideas of the students in order to make the PCC the best it can be,” junior Luke Sumberg said. “I agree with the director in that it’s important to allow a younger audience voice their opinion and feel respected among a group of adults.”

The Potomac Community Center is located on Falls Road near the Bullis School and offers several recreation options. There is a basketball court, ping pong tables, pool tables, arcade games, and so several important events are hosted there.

“We have a lot of community involvement including our most popular event, Club Friday,” junior Adam Horowitz said. “It’s for elementary school children where the members of the advisory board set and clean up.”

Club Friday is a weekly event for elementary school students with music, games, food and athletic events. For the first hour of Club Friday, basketball is played on one half of the gym and on the other, attendants may play soccer. For the second hour of the night, the divider is raised and a game of dodgeball starts.

“We are organizing a 3 on 3 basketball tournament and other charity events,” Horowitz said. “The advisory board meets monthly to brainstorm and come up with strategies to offer the best activities geared to different age groups. It’s great to work side by side with adults in our community as the student voice to make the PCC an even greater resource.”

The board organizes and plans many events outside of Club Friday. The board recently organized an event for the Lunar New Year which filled the Center to maximum capacity. This wouldn’t have been possible without the great attitude and willingness of the board to help their community.

“I decided to join the board in order to help out with the community,” sophomore Jordyn Reicin said. “It is an important place that is overlooked by many people in Potomac. There are great opportunities offered and I want others to be able to know about them too, I enjoy working with the board very much.”