The Detriments of Mandatory Activities by Kassidy

The Detriments of Mandatory Activities by Kassidy - October 2015 Scholarship Essay

There’s no doubt that extracurricular activities are of great importance in making a someone a well-rounded individual and helping the community; however, I believe that if a rule were instated that prohibited students who did not have enough or any extracurricular hours from graduating, the results would be detrimental.
Most students and staff of America’s schools would be on board with such an idea, but just because the majority rules doesn’t mean it is right. Requiring extracurricular activities to graduate would be somewhat similar to ruling that every student must play or try out for a sport in order to receive his or her diploma. There are students who are athletically inclined and those who are not. As it pertains to extracurricular activities, there are students who are socially adept and those who are not- such a quality that is highly necessary to succeed in said activities.
Enforcing this rule would also unfairly favor those students who are more outgoing and cause academics to become overshadowed. I believe this partiality would break apart the very foundation of what school is supposed to be: a comfortable learning environment where each individual has equal opportunity no matter his or her strengths or weaknesses, background or abilities.
Just because one doesn’t partake in community service activities doesn’t mean that he or she never will. Perhaps said student is simply wishing to retain sufficient knowledge that he or she believes will help himself or herself make better decisions involving community service that allows for a greater benefit for all parties involved. It is not a crime to strive for an exceptional arsenal of knowledge before taking action or promoting awareness for a cause throughout a community, state, or nation.
Extracurricular activities should continue to be optional or else they fail to remain extracurricular and become mandatory. Instilling mandatory activities would cast a shadow more damaging than any other in the school environment. Even if one is socially awkward or waiting to use his or her knowledge more methodically to help others in the future, who is to say he or she is wrong for doing so? Everyone is different, and forcing students to participate in certain activities would assuredly take away qualities that make everyone stand out in his or her own unique way and would mold them together into one robotic, undistinguishable, societally-molded mind.