The Balancing Act by Jaycie

The Balancing Act by Jaycie - October 2015 Scholarship Essay

“Band Ten Hut!” I’ve heard this phrase every year since freshman year when I first entered Lancaster High School. Marching band very quickly became a big part of who I am today. Did it impact my academic success? If I’m to answer honestly, I would say yes it did. If I could go back, would I not have joined the marching band so that I would have had more time to devote to my studies? Not a chance! I would have, however, taken more of an initiative to request and receive academic assistance in the area I most needed it and would have incorporated that into the time I did have remaining each week. Math hasn’t always been my strongest subject yet I’ve always attempted to take the AP classes offered and I’ve continuously strived to do my best. It’s been my destiny to have my math class during marching band season each year, which has limited the time I’ve had to really devote to studying, and has ultimately contributed to the overall grade point average I have today. Aside from afternoon practices, my Friday nights and Saturdays from July through November have been wrapped up in games and competitions. All of this said, I still maintain that I am the well-rounded person I am today due to marching band. It has provided me with leadership abilities I wouldn’t have otherwise known. I was Trumpet co-caption by my sophomore year, Trumpet captain my junior year, and I have the proud distinction of being the Band Major for this 2015-2016 Marching Band Season and my senior year.
Although I’m not at the top of my class, I’m still in the top 15%, and for that I’m extremely proud. Maintaining an above 3.0 grade point average while devoting 8-10 extra hours each week towards marching band is no small accomplishment. Academics are the primary focus in my home and have and will always come before extracurricular activities; however, it is through the incorporation of extracurricular activities into my daily life that I’ve learned to have balance. With my parent’s primary focus on my grades, I’ve always been cognizant of the fact that I must put forth the necessary effort so that I can pursue and participate in something that I love.
Since reading the question that was posed, I’ve internally debated whether I believe extracurricular activities should be mandatory in order for one to graduate from high school. I feel that extracurricular activities require you to make new introductions and form new relationships. They require you to learn to balance multiple activities, which will later help one to achieve a solid work/life balance. They open the doors to your initial experience into leadership and teamwork. They ultimately make you a more rounded person and will provide a solid foundation for you to enter college and eventually the workplace. Having said all of the above, I do not believe extracurricular activities should be a requirement for high school graduation. We all come from very diverse backgrounds and home lives and this is not a one-size fits all society. Some teenagers have home-life responsibilities such as helping to raise younger siblings in single-parent homes and some simply have different religious beliefs. No one should be forced to participate in an extracurricular activity in order to graduate since school was primarily developed to help young men and women achieve academic success.
There are many examples of successful people in our society who did not participate in sports, drama, band, etc. They committed themselves academically or to other relatable causes and contributed greatly to the world as we know it today. Have we forgotten that schools and academics were at one time focused simply on that aspect? An example of one such successful individual was Steve Jobs. Steve focused his time and energy after school on electronics. He wasn’t interested in team sports or other group activities. It’s difficult to imagine a time when Apple wasn’t a prevalent household name. Would this be the case had we required that Mr. Jobs participate in extracurricular school activities in order to graduate? I believe some people are destined for greatness based on their intelligence, drive, and compassion alone.
For some, extracurricular activities give them an outlet to shine, to release their creativity, to find out what they are truly passionate about. These activities should always be highly encouraged so that everyone has the opportunity to find their particular niche and to surround themselves with those of similar interests; however, I do not think it should be required to graduate. We need to continue to remember that we are a diverse people and society and to allow children and teenagers to find out who they are through the offering of these activities and through the academics offered. We are not all created the same.