The FUSE is lit: New club helps improve social skills

Members+of+FUSE+club+take+in+MHS+recent+performance+of+Joseph+and+the+Amazing+Technicolor+Dreamcoat.

Kayla McGarry

Members of FUSE club take in MHS’ recent performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Emily Samsa, Guest Writer

Mayfield High School’s Special Ed team started a new club called FUSE to help those with social difficulties improve their communication skills and build relationships with others.

Special education teacher Kayla McGarry is co-advisor of the club and believes that students should get a chance to know each other and have fun doing it. She said, “The goal of this club is to get students together whether they know each other or don’t and just interact with each other.”

Student member Shahed Eid came up with the idea for the club. “I just wanted to open people’s eyes to all the personalities that they haven’t been introduced to yet,” said Eid. “Many people don’t really know what goes on inside different classrooms and don’t really explore what is around them.”

Another member, Matt Horvath has been meaning to get out and grow on his social skills. “My mom and I have been trying to get more in touch with people, to grow my conversation skills, just talking and meeting new people,” said Horvath.

The FUSE club is not just about communicating and making friends, as it’s also about uniting the students through fun-filled activities both at school and in the community. “The activities we’ve had so far is an introduction, everyone meeting each other, so we had a party where we had some games,” said McGarry.

The club since then has been part of many activities including participating in a basketball game, baking cookies, and teaming up with other clubs.

“I really liked the last couple of meetings I’ve been to,” said Horvath. “I have similar interests with other people and I enjoy whatever activities we’re doing,”

The club plans on doing activities outside of school. “Hopefully when the weather gets nicer we’ll be doing some things outside,” said McGarry. “We’ve planned a Metro Parks excursion.”

The club would also like to end the school year by going to dinner together and eventually getting students to go to prom. “We just want to have students be there if they don’t have dates or if they’re unsure going with a big group of friends,” said  McGarry. “They can go with the FUSE group.”

According to McGarry, FUSE is a great way to build social skills and relationships with others. “What we discovered is it can help students’ social skills by them not even realizing because they’re making friends and having these interactions with new people” said McGarry.

Eid agrees. “It just gives people a different time to get to know each other and step out of their comfort zone” she said.

The club meets once every other week, each meeting with new activities to experience. “We’re open to anything and that’s why this club is so cool because we’re just going out in the community and doing fun things,” said McGarry.