Keep Extracurricular Activities Extra by Christopher

Keep Extracurricular Activities Extra by Christopher - October 2015 Scholarship Essay

Extracurricular activities are a staple of modern high school campuses, and some argue that participation in those activates should be a prerequisite for graduation. This idea may seem attractive, but would put a large portion of the population at a major disadvantage, possibly increasing the rates of dropouts or failures. The argument for this lies in the objectives of a high school education, the costs and benefits of extracurriculars, and the logistical strain of providing equally for all students regardless of their family’s socio-economic status.
High school is the last leg of a child’s journey through compulsory education. In other words, it is the last step before reaching legal adulthood and all of the responsibilities that adulthood entails. We can reason from this that the objective of high school should be to prepare the student to be an independent adult. At a minimum, high schools should graduate students who are capable of being entry-level workers in most available jobs. A basically-educated graduate should be able to function in a job making enough to sustain oneself, or to be admitted to a vocational school or apprenticeship that leads to a semi-skilled labor certification, such as electrician or plumber. This is the minimum desired outcome because the labor force requires intelligent, independent workers who can learn quickly, communicate effectively, and are trustworthy with tasks. High Schools should also at the very least educate students on the merits and possibilities of higher education, such as college and vocational schools, as well as opportunities in military service (which presents its own educational and vocational benefits). Many schools have programs that satisfy these requirements, such as shop classes for vocational training, JROTC for military familiarization, and college outreach programs for other types of skills training (ceramics, shop, etc.). Many high schools offer college preparation classes for that student population seeking higher education. These can be advanced placement (AP) classes, SAT-II prep courses, CLEP, etc. All of these offerings present further and further opportunities for students, starting with those who simply HAVE to graduate and move on in the world, to those who already have a plan and desire to advance through their education or vocational training.
Extracurriculars do fit in with the model presented above, but not at the minimum requirements level. That is to say, extracurriculars have little to do with ensuring a student will be able to function as an adult in society after graduation, although in various ways it may help. For instance, there are clubs, such as Key Club, that can give a student a cutting edge in a college application. Athletics are also a major player in acceptance to college or military service academies. Other types of clubs are social in nature, and may only open a student up to new networking connections or some opportunities for scholarships. The problem with these advantages is that they do not offer any value to the student with no college aspirations. For the student competing with other students for admission into a prestigious university, every bit of effort counts ON TOP OF their grades. With a student going directly into the work force, there is little competition, and any that exists rarely hinges on participation in clubs or sports. Furthermore, a student who may be struggling academically may lose a chance at college admission is forced to participate in a club when they should be focusing on academics. This latter point is what could cause dropouts and failures, as students would be obligated to over-commit to activities they do not have time for.
This leads to the final point: the logistical difficulty of mandating extracurriculars. It is a socioeconomic reality that some students cannot afford to take extracurriculars. Some will have to begin working at the earliest possible age to help supplement the family income. Some students know they will be kicked out of their home upon turning eighteen, and have to save money. Teen pregnancy is another issue that is widespread and would be negatively affected by piling on additional requirements. Given that these cases exist and fall under the demographic of “minimally educated” for employment/citizenship purposes, it makes no sense to mandate other activities in an effort to “round them out” or prepare them for a college experience they do not wish to have. Many students who need to work would simply skip out on their extracurriculars in order to survive, and be punished for doing so. Leaving extracurricular activities “extra” also increases the value of those activities to students aspiring for college, as they are truly above and beyond requirements.
Extracurricular activities do indeed offer a breadth of knowledge and experience for high school students, but that is not always required and certainly not needed for a robust workforce. Mandating extracurriculars would put an undue strain on the class of students who need it the least, and cheapen the efforts of those who are working hard to achieve their future goals. Making these activities mandatory would do more harm than good for the students of America. The right choice is to keep the “extra” in extracurricular activities.