Any extracurricular activity a student chooses will improve the particular set of skills associated with that activity. If a student wants to build strength, stamina, flexibility and fitness, joining a sports team or taking a dance class will build those skills. A student who wants to improve her vocal projection, acting, improvisation and imaginative skills can choose an acting class. A speech and debate team teaches a student to construct logical arguments and hone his rhetorical skills. Students can choose their activities to develop skills that complement their goals and interests.
Extracurricular activities give students the opportunity to interact with different sorts of people. Many activities have social and bonding elements that teach children to put aside their differences and work together for a common goal -- sports teams and theatrical performances are particularly good for this. Students who involve themselves in religious or cultural social clubs also are likely to improve their social skills. Extracurricular activities put people together who might only have one thing in common, and this teaches them to relate to people whom they might not have chosen as friends if left to their own devices.
The skills that students learn outside of their traditional classroom curriculum are called "soft skills." No matter what field a student chooses to go into when she completes her education, the soft skills she has obtained will serve her well. Students who must juggle extracurriculars along with their regular course load develop time-management, independence, prioritizing and problem-solving abilities, all of which are skills that will help them find jobs when they enter the workforce.
Many extracurricular activities give students the option of assuming leadership roles. Students can become team captains, theatrical directors, newspaper editors or student government officers. All these positions give students the opportunity to develop personal responsibility, problem-solving abilities, diplomacy and tact, and they give them greater insight into the ways larger administrations operate. Not only do these leadership positions look excellent on a resume, they also help students develop skills that prepare them for managerial or high-powered careers later in life.