High School Extracurricular Activities Data
By Catherine Harris, eHow Contributor
updated April 07, 2011
Extracurricular activities in high school involve students in both school and community. Students who are planning on attending college want to participate in clubs and volunteer services. Extracurricular activities show interested colleges the student's commitment to the community and their high school. These types of activities fall outside of the normal high school curriculum education, making extracurricular high school activities data useful for establishing a student's dedication and character.
Types
High School Students Participating in Clubs
A variety of clubs are available for students in high schools that complement the curriculum. Many schools offer debate teams, athletics, literary clubs, and drama clubs. If the school doesn't have clubs that suit the student's interest, individuals can speak to teachers, principals or counselors about forming one. Students should not worry about being the team captain or club president---the key is to participate, whether on center stage or behind the scenes. Students may want to consider engaging in community service activities, such as volunteering in local hospitals or tutoring elementary school kids.
Sports
High School Sports
High schools offer sports for students to play as extracurricular activities, such as basketball, football, softball, baseball and soccer. If you are not able to make the team, or if your school has limited athletic offerings, you can join city or community sports leagues. Fortunately, colleges pay attention to what students do both in and outside of school. Extracurricular high school activities data about sports reveal a great deal about students; the student who merely watches sports on television is less enticing to colleges than one who gets out and plays.
Work
High School Student Tutoring Elementary Student
Working students have an excellent way to be involved in the community. Employment shows the student has skills, is able to interact with others in a work environment and is both responsible and mature. For example, students who work as tutors demonstrate they have skills to train and educate others. Work experience, whether paid or volunteer, can help the student to identify career interests and goals. It will also show how students are applying classroom learning to the real world. Work looks good on college and job applications, showing admissions officers and employers you are well-rounded and responsible.
Benefits
High School Students Volunteering
Students exploring high school activities are able to expand on physical, creative and social interests. They are able to make friends who have similar likes and interests. Being involved with groups prepares students for college activities in which different types of people are brought together. Students involved in positive activities are more likely to possess the motivation and commitment to complete what they start.
In reviewing four decades of extracurricular high school activities, educational research associate James W. O'Dea stated, "Students are only going to get so much out of the classroom, and it is up to the educator to express, push, promote these additional activities which will enhance the student's social and societal skills, from what they do not get at home." Full support needs to be given to these programs to promote these types of skills.
These positive behaviors gained from extracurricular activities have been found to persist throughout life, according to the director of the Center for Social and Behavioral Research at Northern Iowa University, Gene Lutz. In a 2009 report, Lutz and his colleagues found that "High school athletic participation is associated with an array of positive outcomes, including high school [grade poiont average], college attendance, college completion, adult income and earnings, job quality, and beneficial health behaviors."
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