Most high schools have clubs that participate in social and school community services and other special interests. These activities may include volunteer work in the community or helping other students who need mentoring. Other clubs specialize in honing talent skills in the performing arts, language and computer gaming. Every high school also has various sports clubs such as basketball, volleyball, softball, swimming and soccer teams that teach the value of team work. All of these activities help instill values in students and help them realize the importance of community involvement for personal development.
High-school students who actively participate in extracurricular activities have far better chances of having successful lives within the next 10 years, according to Christy Lleras, a professor of human and community development from the University of Illinois. Extracurricular activities help in honing "soft skills" or skills that relates directly to social interaction, time management and public relations. High-school students who excel in academic and extracurricular activities have a greater sense of achievement that will later propel them to greater heights and success in their education and career. In addition, a study by the Center for Substance Abuse Research at the University of Maryland shows that high-school students involved in extracurricular activities are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol in college.
The growing demand for achieving higher grades or scores, especially on state-mandated standardized tests, may affect a student's interest in pursuing extracurricular activities in high school. In some cases, educational institutions place more of a premium on academic scores and cut the budget for clubs. Most schools in the United Sates face the challenge of keeping up with the high standards of education to remain subsidized by the federal government. Lesser funding results in lower quality of education since schools need money to hire qualified teachers and maintain facilities.
Students need to have a healthy balance between their high school extracurricular activities and academic scores since both aspects are crucial when applying for college. Most college admissions look at a student's participation in organizations not only in quantity, but by the quality of time rendered in performing academic and extracurricular interests simultaneously. For example, even if a student participates in 10 school organizations, it does not guarantee that colleges will choose him over a student who only participates in one. In some cases, participating in more extracurricular activities may affect the student's ability to multitask and reflects how a student prioritizes.