Out of class experience by Courtney

Out of class experience by Courtney - October 2015 Scholarship Essay

How many math, science, and English classes do high school students have to take in order to graduate? Usually the answer is a lot. How many classes are there that apply to real life situations? It’s hard to say, but when I was in high school, I did just as much learning outside of the classroom as I did inside. I believe every student should experience something that they can benefit from in multiple areas, which is why extracurricular activities should be required to graduate.

There are many real world skills that can come from extracurricular activities. Some of these may include patience, dedication, and time management. For example, soccer taught me how to deal with conflicts within the team. I began to grow more and more patience for these uprisings, which is still useful today. At work, I may not get along with everyone, but it something that I must learn to deal with. I also learned from soccer that I need to be a reliable team member. I knew that if I didn’t show up to practices or games, I would be letting my team down. Managing time efficiently is important because I needed to learn how to balance my activity with school and home life. Acquiring these habits or skills in high school will allow students to be successful with future careers

Don’t let yourself be fooled. Extracurricular activities aren’t meant for just the kids who get straight A’s. In fact, kids who don’t get good grades should be more involved. It is a source of motivation. My younger sister was actually struggling in school for a while, and ended up failing her French class. Something was just off about her. She had never really been involved in anything before, except for some soccer when we were little. This all changed when she joined the dance team her sophomore year of high school. I noticed she was hanging out with more friends, and looked overall happier. She had something to look forward to, which was probably why she stopped skipping school. I believe that these seemingly meaningless activities can make a big difference in someone’s life.

You don’t have to be an athlete to be involved. There is something for everyone. Maybe you find yourself wanting to express your opinions. One way to do that is through the school’s debate team. You can meet people who share the same interests as you, and you can find something you love doing. Or, you can figure out what you don’t like. That’s okay too. I found out that basketball really isn’t my thing when I went the entire season only scoring one basket in a game. However, some of the best memories I have is with my soccer team. We have team dinners that make me feel special and that I am part of something good. That is a feeling that all students can have with a club or sport. It is all about finding your niche.

Knowing how to graph trigonometric functions is great, but I think kids today need something that will give them a head start in life. Something that will give them tools they can use their entire lives. Something that they will truly love participating in, and help them discover who they are. Extracurricular activities can do all of these things for high school students. I think it should be required for them because It is in their best interest.