Extracurricular activities and their educational impact

Extracurricular Activities and Student Success: a Connection

Extracurricular activities are very popular with students from elementary school through college. These activities can run the gamut of things from sports to drama, from chess to yoga, and everything in between; extracurricular activities really cater to a student's individual interests, and there are groups for just about every imaginable interest. Extracurricular activities are normally conducted outside of the normal school day, are entirely voluntary, and students do not receive grades for participating in them (Holloway, 1999). Nevertheless, these activities remain extraordinarily popular, thereby reinforcing the notion that school is not just about grades to most students. However, despite the fact that extracurricular activities are not associated with academics (in most cases) and have nothing to do with grades, a growing body of research suggests that participation in extracurricular activities may in fact have a beneficial effect on a student's academic performance. This paper examines the connection between participation in extracurricular activities and a student's academic performance.

To start, academically gifted students have long been known to participate in extracurricular activities. One study reported that gifted students spend a great portion of their time outside of class participating in beneficial and constructive activities (Modi, 1998). This same study found that there was a fifty percent increase in the odds of a student being gifted if that student participated in extracurricular activities. Certainly, it is easy to notice just how many Harvard-bound high school students talk about how they participate in all sorts of extracurricular activities, often in leadership positions, while still maintaining a straight -- A average. It seems as if all of the bright, intelligent, and motivated students participate in extracurricular activities.

Gifted students, however, are not the only students who participate in extracurricular activities, nor are they the only students who can benefit by such participation. At-risk students also benefit from participation in extracurricular activities. One study indicated that participation in extracurricular activities is linked to a decreased rate of dropouts among both boys and girls who are at-risk students (Mahoney, 1997). This study found that participation in extracurricular activities provides at-risk students with a feeling, however marginal, of connection to their school. When a student feels a connection to his or her school, he or she tends to want to stay there and to bring honor to the school by performing well for it. This attitude, brought on by participation in extracurricular activities, prevents dropouts. By contrast, other strategies for preventing dropouts focus on the deficiencies of students by putting them together in dropout prevention groups and other such methods. This focus on the deficiencies of the students simply serves to contribute to the formation of deviant groups among those students, and does little toward actual dropout prevention.

One researcher showed that different activities have varying abilities to control dropout rates (McNeal, 1995). Participation in athletic groups was the most likely to prevent dropouts, this study found. Participation in athletic groups reduced the risk of a student dropping out of school by about forty percent. Participation in fine arts groups was the next most likely to prevent dropouts, with participation in academic groups following fine arts groups in dropout prevention likelihood (McNeal, 1995). These three types of groups, and participation in them, were shown to be the most successful dropout prevention techniques of all. This study shows that if only schools would get at-risk students involved in extracurricular activities, preferably in one of the above three types of groups, the rates of dropouts in those schools would be dramatically reduced.

Participation in extracurricular activities has also been shown to enhance academic performance overall. This holds true whether the student is gifted, at-risk, or average. One particular study showed that boys and girls participating in extracurricular soccer all reported higher GPAs during the soccer season (Silliker, 1997). Both the boys and the girls also reported a slight drop in their GPAs out of the soccer season. While the girls earned an overall higher GPA than the boys, the fact remained that GPAs rose for all of them during the soccer season. This shows that participation in extracurricular sports does not harm academic performance, as some have believed, but instead enhances it.

Many other contemporary studies have shown a definitive connection between participation in extracurricular activities and enhanced academic performance. For example, A 1996 study by Susan Gerber showed that not only did extracurricular participation improve academic performance, but academic performance was further enhanced when extracurricular activities the student participated in were school sponsored. Henry Marsh found in 1992 that participation in extracurricular activities improved both academic and social self-images for students who participated in them. He further found that participation in extracurricular activities, even those not academically based, improved the student's commitment to the school and to school values, thus increasing academic performance. These studies show that the common practice among administrators and parents of denying students the right to participate in extracurricular activities in order to get them to concentrate harder on academics is an ultimately counterproductive, and even destructive practice. The smart administrators and parents will rather give their underperforming student every opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, knowing that such participation will ultimately have the beneficial effect upon the student's academic performance that they are searching for.

There is a large body of evidence supporting the theory that participation in extracurricular activities increases and enhances academic performance. Many studies have been done in this area, focusing on a variety of areas and angles. For example, one study found that students who participated in extracurricular activities in the tenth grade, no matter what these activities were, had a much higher GPA in the twelfth grade than those students who did not participate in extracurricular activities (Eccles, 1999). Another study found that students who participated in extracurricular activities in their early high school years, as well as students who spent a good deal of time alone in their early high school years, had higher math and science scores once they were in the twelfth grade (Jordan, 1999). Participation in extracurricular activities proves over and over again to be beneficial to the student in a variety of ways.

Not only does participation in extracurricular activities have a positive impact upon academic performance, it also has a beneficial effect on self-esteem and behavior. Studies have shown that when a student participates in extracurricular activities such as clubs, groups, and sports, they gain a feeling of belonging that then serves to diminish aggressive behavior. Further, it has been found in some studies that the type of club one is involved in will have a significant impact upon a student's behavior and self-esteem. For example, one study showed that female students who were involved in social clubs had a much higher self-esteem level than those who were involved in sports or other types of clubs. On the other hand, males who were involved in social clubs reported a much higher degree of aggression than those males who were involved in sports. Therefore, according to this study at least, the type of club makes a difference in self-esteem and behavior depending on if the student is a male of a female. Of course, other studies have showed that any type of extracurricular activity is beneficial to self-esteem, behavior, and academic performance.

Self-esteem is one of the most important components of a person's psyche. It comprises their whole sense of self-worth, and this sense of self-worth can help or hinder them as they go through life, depending on whether their self-esteem is high or low. Self-esteem is liking one's self. A person's self-esteem will determine to a large extent whether a person has a "success" self-image or a "failure" self-image (Grafford, 1998).. Since self-esteem has such a large impact on a person's performance in life, the fact that participation in extracurricular activities helps to increase a person's self-esteem is a very important thing to know. The smart parents and administrators will take heed of the fact that participation in extracurricular activities increases self-esteem, and will encourage their children and students to participate in whatever interests them. They will only be doing these children a favor in the long run.

Extracurricular activities help increase a person's self-esteem because they are linked with performance of some special task that not everyone can do. For those students who are involved in sports, their performance on the field will increase their self-esteem, because not everyone can do what they are doing. For students in the marching band, it is the same; not everyone can play a musical instrument. Even students in drama can take pride in what they do, since not everyone can act or perform up on stage. Any sort of extracurricular activity has the potential to make a student feel as if he or she is special, confident, and capable.

Extracurricular activities are also important because students spend a majority of their time outside of the classroom. How this time is spent can and does have a large impact upon their development as people. The opportunities available to students in the future may also be impacted by the extracurricular activities they participate in while in school. This is why almost every elementary school, secondary school, and college in the nation provides extracurricular activities of some sort. Schools do recognize the importance of such activities. The popularity and usefulness of extracurricular activities can be seen by the following statistics:

1) Almost eighty-three percent of high school seniors in 1992 participated in some sort of extracurricular activity.

2) Of these eighty-three percent, approximately thirty-six percent of them participated in varsity sports, making such sports the most popular extracurricular activity.

3) Females were more likely than males to participate in extracurricular activities of all sorts with the exception of sports.

4) Participation in extracurricular activities was found to be relatively the same across all ethnic groups. However, the type of extracurricular activity a student participates in was found to be influenced by race.

5) African-American students were more likely than other racial groups to participate in vocational extracurricular activities.

6) Asians were more likely than other racial groups to be involved in academic extracurricular activities.

7) Students from the highest income brackets were more likely to participate in any extracurricular activity, with the exception of vocational groups. Students from lower economic brackets were more likely to participate in these groups.

8) The participation of students in extracurricular activities was found to be more or less the same regardless of the racial make-up or economic status of the school the students attended ("Extracurricular Activities, 1995).

Another important aspect of extracurricular activities is that they not only seem to enhance the academic performance and self-esteem of students, they also seem to enhance a student's motivation to do well in school. Further, most students who are involved in extracurricular activities are motivated to stay involved with these activities, thus further increasing their motivation to do well in school. There are several reasons why extracurricular activities motivate students to stay involved with them, as well as why students who are involved in such activities are motivated to do well in school. A great deal of recent research has been done into the connection between participation in extracurricular activities and student motivation.

First of all, extracurricular activities appear to motivate students to stay involved with them because they appeal to the interests of the students. Schools that offer a wide range of extracurricular activities are more likely to ensure that the individual needs and interests of students are being met. When students have their needs and interests met through having extracurricular activities that appeal to them offered at the school, these students are more likely to develop feelings of belonging at the school, which translates into emotional ties to the school. As has been seen before, when a student has emotional ties to the school, he or she is less likely to drop out.

Another important aspect of extracurricular activities is the effect that they can have on the opportunities and world perceptions of low income students. This is especially true at the elementary school level. Low income students who participate in extracurricular activities are exposed to a wide range of experiences that would normally only be available to middle and upper income students, such as dancing, art, music, sports, and tutoring (Posner, 1999). Of course, for students to be exposed to these things, the activities must be school sponsored. Still, for the young child whose parents can not afford dance lessons, being able to participate in a school sponsored ballet group is an incredible opportunity, and gives that child a chance to experience something that his or her more wealthy classmates do on a regular basis through private lessons.

Extracurricular activities also promote peer interaction. This is an important thing, as it ensures that students who participate in such activities are exposed to a wide array of people from varying backgrounds and experiences. Many students form their own social cliques and only socialize within these groups. However, when a student participates in extracurricular activities, that student is exposed to students from other cliques and other social experiences. Students are able to learn to work with, get along with, and appreciate students with different backgrounds from their own through participation in extracurricular activities. Further, for students who are at risk for dropping out, participation in extracurricular activities can expose them to higher achieving students who have a better attitude toward school (McNeal, 1995). By being exposed to students who are more committed to school and to their education, at risk students may develop better attitudes toward school themselves.

Extracurricular activities can also promote cooperation between students. This is an important skill that will serve them well in the adult world. It will also help students who have had difficulties socially to learn how to interact with and get along with people from a wide range of backgrounds and beliefs. Extracurricular activities promote a less competitive environment among students. This sense of non-competitiveness may help students to realize that they are not in competition with anyone else to do well or accomplish things in school (McNeal, 1995). This feeling alone may be enough to encourage a student to stay in school.

Extracurricular activities are also important because the help to build student-adult relationships. Adults, of course, supervise extracurricular activities. Students who participate in these activities get the benefit of forming a relationship with a competent, responsible adult (Mahoney, 2000). There are many benefits to such a relationship. One benefit is that the adults who sponsor these activities are usually interested in or skilled in the activity themselves. By participating in the extracurricular activity, students get the opportunity to form a relationship with an adult who can guide them, advise them, and act as a mentor to them in this activity. Students also get the opportunity to learn how to deal with adults on a professional level. This is a skill that will serve them well when they enter the adult world. The adults who sponsor and supervise these activities can also offer the students who are involved a new and unique perspective on the world, perhaps opening their minds up to new information or new possibilities they never considered before.

Extracurricular activities provide structure and challenge for students. This is important, especially for students who are easily bored by school. Most extracurricular activities are highly organized and involve increasingly complex activities for students to learn to perform (Mahoney, 2000). Learning such skills in a way that continually challenges the student is part of what contributes to the increase in self-esteem that students normally experience when they participate in extracurricular activities. By being continually challenged with new and increasingly difficult activities to master, students gain a sense of accomplishment and ability. This sense of accomplishment and ability naturally leads to an increase in the student's sense of self-worth. Further, the highly organized structure of extracurricular activities provides students with a reliable way to measure their own successes.

It has been found that participation in extracurricular activities draws minorities and women to science. This is something that is highly desirable in our society, where white males have traditionally been the dominant force in the science fields. Studies have shown that exposure to extracurricular science activities contributes to students having a positive attitude toward science (Sorge, 2000). When extracurricular activities in the sciences are made available to students, women and minorities have to opportunity to try out this activity in a non-threatening, non-competitive way. It is a good way for students who have always been intimidated by science, but fascinated with it at the same time, to get involved and to begin to increase their science skills. When students have the opportunity to become involved in science in a way that will not affect their grade, the pressure is off of them to perform at a certain level, and they gain the freedom to explore the sciences at their own pace. Many students will find that they have an aptitude and ability in the sciences that they did not know they had.

Interestingly, young women who become involved in extracurricular sports have been found to experience an increased academic performance in the sciences. It is a fascinating correlation, especially since sports have little to do with sciences. There are several theories as to why this correlation exists. The most likely theory comes from a study done by Hanson and Krause. In this study, Hanson and Krause found that young women who are involved in a traditionally male domain such as sports may feel less intimidated by and more prepared for the traditionally male dominated field of science. It is true that most science classrooms today are still very much male-oriented. Hanson and Krause's theory makes sense in that a woman who is confident in one male dominated area is likely to have the self-esteem she needs to feel confident in other male dominated areas, as well.