Extracurricular Activities: Too Much or Too Little?

September's weather brings gorgeous flavors and feelings. Students trade in tanks and shorts for hoodies and jeans, shake off school's newness, roll into September and begin a flurry of extracurricular activities. Once focused on athletics or music, extra curricular activities now exist for any interest-gaming, sewing, even veterinary experiences. A variety reaches more students who often need extra attention and may not enjoy the typical array.

Research shows that schools benefit from extracurricular activities. Students gain friendships. Students who relate to a group or connect to role models are less likely to dropout of school, drink, do drugs or participate in overall risky behavior.  Additionally, "athletics and music instruction are two programs that many high schools already have that show to increase academic performance without any additional budgeting, increasing teacher workloads, increasing school hours, or requiring implementing anything new." If extracurricular activities bring academic improvements with minimal time, effort or money, schools should encourage them. Extracurricular activities provide credentials for college applications, build school spirit and instill confidence in students. Research supports student participation. No problems, right?

A burning problem is that students join activities to accumulate a long list for college applications. They do not fully participate (which weakens the organization) or they participate (with costs to themselves, whether it be lower grades or less sleep). A student who leaves basketball practice to cheer at a different basketball game who later types a speech for student council into the wee morning is not at an advantage over the student who went to band practice, and then went home. Students cannot build time management skills or feel the benefits of connecting when simply "doing" and not "participating." Additionally, like little league, when adults enter the situation, the atmosphere changes. Instead of growing individual uniqueness, advisors form a core group and ignore the rest. Coaches start building expectations in elementary school and when teams do not meet them in high school, students face monumental failure they did not create. Lastly, students sometimes miss a core function of extracurricular activities by restricting their involvement to one pursuit for a school year. Even if they enjoyed and managed two previously, they focus on one in hopes of excelling past their peers. Part of childhood is experiencing a variety of activities and finding passions.

Adults should work with students in balancing extracurricular activities. Some schools already limit activities per season. Colleges should examine students' participation, rather than lauding long lists. Parents and perhaps educators should counsel students about a healthy balance. Teachers and parents should not fear voicing concerns upon realizing a student is overwhelmed, or a coach out of kilter. After all, the purpose of extracurricular activities is to teach positive life skills, not model negative ones.

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