Extracurricular Activities
Subject and Research
Research was performed on the claim of fact that students involved in extracurricular
activities receive higher grades than those not involved in activities. This topic was
studied because high school budgets are meager, and the administrations of these schools
want to spend the money efficiently. Consequently, funding for extracurricular activities
may be decreased. This report examines the correlation between extracurricular activities
and academic performance.
Scope
The scope of the investigation only includes high school students and the relationship
between their involvement in activities and their academic performance. Some collegiate
level studies were used since the benefits of extracurricular activities in high school and
college are the same.
Methods
Three experts in different fields that have knowledge of this area of research were
interviewed. Laura Bestler, assistant director of student activities at the Iowa State
University Student Activities Center, was interviewed since she is an expert on the
activities that take place on the Iowa State campus and the benefits students attain by
becoming involved in activities. Matt Craft, president of the Government of the Student
Body at Iowa State University, was also interviewed because the Government of the
Student Body, or GSB, supports and funds many campus activities. The intention of this
component of the research was to discover why the GSB finds extracurricular activities
so beneficial that they choose to financially support them. Erin Fowkes, a high school
counselor at Battle Creek-Ida Grove High School in Ida Grove, Iowa, was interviewed to
obtain information as to why it is important for students to participate in activities in high
school. The questions asked of these individuals are found in Appendix A. The other two
sources were papers that had been presented at conferences, and they were found at the
Iowa State University Parks Library in the Microfilms Collection. The first paper entitled
"High School Extracurricular Activities and College Grades" by Mary Rombokas studies
the relationship between high academic marks and involvement in extracurricular
activities. This article includes a survey performed by Rombokas on this subject. The
second article referenced was "Student Perceptions of the Intercollegiate Athletic
Program at a Community College" by Judith S. Berson. This is a study on how
participating on a collegiate level softball team affected the team members’ grades.
Key Points
The key points that will be made in this claim of fact are that students involved in
extracurricular activities receive better grades than those who are not involved in
extracurricular activities. In addition, activities improve the overall student. Therefore,
they help students to receive better grades by teaching them character building lessons,
teaching them lifelong skills, saving some at risk students who would possibly drop out
of school, and helping students develop social skills.
Academics
Mary Rombokas performed a study of college-aged students who were involved in
extracurricular activities in high school to discover if there was in fact a correlation
between involvement in activities and academic achievement. She concluded after
questioning two hundred ninety-two college students that "participation in extracurricular
activities enhances both the intellectual and social development of students" (Rombokas
21). Through her own research, she discovered that athletes attain higher grade point
averages than those students not in athletics (Rombokas 6). In addition, Rombokas found
that a national survey performed by Durbin in 1984 showed that participants in
extracurricular activities in high school received better grades when they were
participating in activities than when they were not participating in activities (Rombokas
8).
Character Building
A myriad of components contribute to the reasons why extracurricular activities benefit
students academically. One of these reasons is that students learn character-building
lessons that they can apply to their study habits and to their lives. Activities such as
athletics, music, theater, and organizations teach students how to discipline themselves
through drills, practices, or rehearsals (Rombokas 8). The students have a responsibility
to the activity and must perform the tasks assigned to them whether it be to run, sing, act,
or organize an event. By participating and persevering in any of these activities, the
students gain a sense of self-respect, self-esteem, and self-confidence (Rombokas 23).
Extracurricular activities give them pride in their accomplishments, and they learn that if
an activity is worth doing, it is worth doing well (Rombokas 11). Students echoed
Rombokas’ conclusions because on her survey 74.6% reported that they felt team sports
are an excellent way to build character (Rombokas 18).
Skills
Through extracurricular activities, students learn life skills that benefit their studies. Matt
Craft, president of the Iowa State University Government of the Student Body, stated that
being involved teaches students organization and time management skills. Because
activities take time out of the students’ schedules, the involved students must plan their
time wisely and efficiently to complete the assigned tasks (Craft). In Berson’s
investigation of the community college softball team, she also found that the students had
to learn to budget their time for their studies and four-hour per day softball practices
(Berson 21). In addition to organizational skills, extracurricular activities in the arts teach
students analytical skills and creative problem solving skills since they have to think
creatively to successfully perform music, act in a play, or produce a work of art
(Rombokas 10).
Students at Risk
Not only do extracurricular activities help students that are already successful in school to
further excel, they also help students that are at risk of dropping or flunking out to remain
in school. Erin Fowkes, counselor at the Battle Creek-Ida Grove High School, stated that
students involved in activities at that high school cannot flunk more than two classes or
they will be unable to participate. Therefore, the borderline students who thoroughly
enjoy their activity work hard to pass their classes in order that they may continue to
participate (Fowkes). In Rombokas’ research, she found that extracurricular activities are
the only component that makes some students stay in school and attend regularly
(Rombokas 10). Another benefit of extracurricular activities for at risk students is that it
lessens the number of discipline problems. Rombokas discovered in her research that
"high school athletes were considerably less involved in school-related deviance, nonschool related deviance, drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse, and serious offenses with the
law" (Rombokas 8). Extracurricular activities give students positive activities in which to
be involved, and they spend their time in a productive manner. Also, some high schools
have policies that students cannot participate in activities if they have violated the law
(Fowkes).
Social
Although social aspects of a student’s life do not directly affect his or her grade point
average, they do affect the overall wellbeing of the student. Education is not solely
learned by reading the textbook for students can learn an incredible amount from their
peers through extracurricular activities. Students learn how to compromise and work in a
group. Extracurricular activities also allow students to meet and interact with peers that
may not be within their close group of friends. In addition, extracurricular activities help
to enhance these social skills and teach lessons not learned in a classroom. Laura Bestler,
assistant director of the student activities at the Student Activities Center, said that
extracurricular activities are an effective way to network and meet other people with
whom the students can study (Bestler). Reinforcing Bestler’s statement, Erin Fowkes
commented that extracurricular activities teach students to work in teams and work
cooperatively, skills that will help students be successful in school and attain jobs in the
future (Fowkes).
Conclusion
Therefore, administrations of schools ought to continue their funding of extracurricular
activities since it clearly benefits the students’ academic achievement. Schools should
encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities since they benefit the
students in so many ways. Also, the schools should educate the coaches and group
sponsors on the influence that the extracurricular activities have on the students’ lives.
Activities are not solely about what the score is, how many wins or losses are attained
during a season, or what place is won at a competition. They provide and instruct
students with lessons that will last them a lifetime.
Appendix A
Interview questions for Laura Bestler, Matt Craft, and Erin Fowkes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why is it beneficial for students to be involved?
Why do involved students get better grades?
Does it matter what type of activity the student is in?
Why are clubs and organizations funded by the university?
How are activities a vital component of a well-rounded education?
Works Cited
Berson, Judith S. (1996, March). Stuent Perceptions of the Intercollegiate Athletic
Program at a Community College. Paper Presented at the Annual
Convention for the National Association of Student Personnel
Administrators, Atlanta, GA. ERIC Document ED404607.
Bestler, Laura. Telephone Interview. 11 Oct. 1999.
Craft, Matthew. Telephone Interview. 11 Oct. 1999.
Fowkes, Erin. Telephone Interview. 11 Oct. 1999.
Rombokas, Mary. (1995, October). High School Extracurricular Activities and College
Grades. Paper Presented at the Southeastern Conference of Counseling
Personnel, Jekyll Island, GA. ERIC Document ED391134.
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rhetoric/105H17/rhollrah/cof.html