With the school year getting up and running, after-school activities are finally beginning again after a long year of inactivity. The presence of posters promoting clubs and sports throughout schools is a welcome change after COVID-19 noticeably decreased the amount of after-school activities, due to safety restrictions and regulations. Many club leaders have been left wondering how to move forward with their programs. How do we get the community involved after such a long period of distance from one another? 

Public schools have the privilege of choice, giving us the liberty to choose what we are involved in throughout our education. The hardest part, however, is trying to get students interested with these clubs. Due to the inactivity, many students have little knowledge on the available extracurricular activities. It is important we reach out to students so they know that their options are open and welcoming. Extracurricular activities are a part of high school that should be a memorable time from your teenage years. 

Extracurricular’s can mean many important activities that students can do to be involved in their own community. These activities range in each community, from the arts, sports, and academic clubs, to even programs of available tutors. 

1. It’s very important to find something that you can feel connected to.  The time we have been away from others has made us so used to isolation that it has become a common way of life for many. Being connected to something outside of school can help students who find themselves being fully consumed by academic studies and pressure with their mental health.  As students, and just as humans, it’s important to focus on some good habits to bring us out of the dark when it’s needed. Feeling alone is common,  but involving yourself in something with significance can help you ground yourself. 

Even if you feel like you weren’t made for athletic extra-curricula’s, there’s an activity for everybody. Theatre is an example of one way to get all the experience of a team player mentality, working together to create a production involves communication and practice.  Many schools have academic clubs after the school day as well, such as debate teams, Math and English clubs, Science clubs, History, and Writing, etc. There are gaming clubs one can join, and if students want to be involved with social activism, there are options like Spectrum (our Gay-Straight Alliance), student council, or other organizations in the area. With sports, there is a lot more you can do rather than just football and basketball, you can be involved with such things as tennis, soccer, and archery, and we’re lucky to have a great group of dance-based sports like cheer and competitive dance! 

School offers so much more than academics if students are willing to look beyond the classroom. High school is a stepping stone to new possibilities. The world has many options for everyone and anyone who wishes to be involved with them. These clubs and after school activities run off of the energy and work students put into them. It’s exciting to find your group, build friendships, and get involved before it is too late. Being in high school can be a lot more than just the 8 hours spent in the building each day learning, it can also be the memories that one makes along the way, that will last a lifetime.