Sports either individual or team had the widest participation, involving 42 percent of seniors in , followed by performing arts and academic clubs. Honor societies, publications, and student government, which by definition have more limited memberships than other activities, each still drew 16 to 18 percent of seniors.
Although differences in availability of extracurricular opportunities between less affluent and more affluent schools were small or nonexistent, students of low socioeconomic status SES were less likely to participate in activities than were high SES students 3. Almost three-quarters of low SES students participated in at least one activity, compared with 87 percent of high SES students.
The participation of low SES students was consistently lower than that of high SES students in each type of activity, with the exception of vocational or professional clubs, such as Future Farmers or Future Teachers of America, in which low SES students were almost twice as likely to participate.
Some researchers have suggested that the social context of the school might have a positive or negative influence on student behavior, depending on whether the individual student is in the relative minority or majority in the school Karweit, Low SES students, for example, may be more likely to participate in schools where they are in the majority and less likely to participate in more affluent schools where they are in the relative minority.
These data include, however, that regardless of their socioeconomic background, students' participation was not related to the social context of the school--low SES students participated at the same rates whether they attended less affluent or more affluent schools, and so did high SES students. If individual socioeconomic factors, rather than school factors, account for differences in participation, what is it about individuals, particularly those from lower SES families, that makes a difference?
Researchers have identified several barriers to student participation, ranging from the more tangible, including family or work responsibilities, limited resources for equipment or other expenses, and transportation or other logistical difficulties, to the more complex, such as lack of interest in or alienation from school and its activities Kleese and D'Onofrio, Table 3. Discussion Although it cannot be known from these data whether the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and success in school is causal, and although degree or intensity of participation is not measured, it is clear that participation and success are strongly associated as evidenced by participants' better attendance, higher levels of achievement, and aspirations to higher levels of education.
Furthermore, the data indicate that differences in participation were not related to differences in availability, as extracurricular activities were available to virtually all high school seniors regardless of the affluence, size, location or minority status of the schools students attended.
This participation gap is a cause for concern, especially if extracurricular activities can be a means of bringing at-risk students more fully into the school community, thereby increasing their chances of school success. There are a whole range of benefits that come from involvement in these programs, we explore a few below. Weekly activities can offer a welcome break from studies and homework — particularly for senior students if they can spare the time. A leadership-oriented club, for example, will help students to learn essential skills in management and delegation, while a debate or speech club will provide additional public speaking practice for students.
Sports most often have the effect of fostering strong team-building skills and training students in holding long-term goals. In short, extracurricular activities can arm students with many of the skills future employers will be looking for. Extracurriculars are not solely about imparting stronger professional skills and supplementing education.
These programs are also fun and offer students the opportunity to spend time with others of similar interests. Heaps of studies have been conducted on the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic performance, and they all show that student who participate in them have higher grades, more positive attitudes toward school and higher academic aspirations.
You join the school team and start training for the national Maths Olympiad. During the process you realise how fun maths can be and how talented you actually are, which gives your confidence a massive boost. Working hard and mastering new skills in a fun, relaxed — and sometimes competitive — setting allows you to be successful without the pressure of getting a good grade. For example, if you make a few friends doing community service at school, you might decide to start a volunteer club together and really make an impact in your community!
Luckily, extracurricular activities give you something fun and parent approved to do aside from school. Each and every step will teach you a new skill you can use for the rest of your life. So you can see, extracurricular activities are far more than time fillers and provide a lot more than variety and entertainment.
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