Extracurricular activities, such as clubs, sports, or community service, impact our community’s student body and culture by allowing students to gather and find other people who share similar interests. These activities create a sense of unity, collaboration, and freedom to be creative and explore their interests. 

At EHHS, we currently offer a wide range of clubs, sports, and other activities, with examples including Yearbook Club, E-Sports, Creative Club, Pom Poms, Drama Club, and so much more. Clubs are a great way to find other individuals with a shared interest, especially in clubs or activities in which students work towards a common goal, such as completing a yearbook or working towards putting on a production or show. Mr. Douglas Gardner notes that it gives students a sense of ownership of what they are creating, allowing them to feel pride within their community. 

It also allows students to explore new topics they may have felt some hesitation to look at and allows them to branch out and try new things. Students may also find a new interest they didn’t even know they had, opening the door to many other possibilities. Similarly, it gives students a sense of pride and enjoyment to attend school and look forward to having something to do after school. Principal Vincent DeNuzzo stated that, “We all know that we have to come to school to earn credits to learn [the] core concepts and skills in our classes, but it’s those ‘extras” [that] allow you to develop a deeper appreciation for your school community and those that are attending school every day with you.” Mrs. Lisa Gardner shared this concept of finding the drive to attend school, as she noted that students who are involved in extracurriculars seem to enjoy coming to school more, as it may even be the sole reason why students come to school. She also stated that, “For some kids, they need that push. I think the bigger thing is just that feeling of [community]. If you feel like I’m part of this building, and I know people, and I have friends in that who you might see passing in the hallway or who you might be in classes with, that’s going to make you feel more comfortable coming here.” It also creates a sense of community that is not so focused on online spaces, as students are face-to-face. Mr. D. Gardner mentioned that “even if it’s like an e-sports club, they’re still engaging with their friends rather than just being on a video game.”

Clubs foster a sense of community, pride, and inclusivity throughout EHHS by allowing the staff and students to connect through various activities, even outside of the club. For example, the Kindness Club works together to put out teacher shoutouts, leave uplifting messages on the walkways, celebrate our community, and spread kindness throughout the halls. Through the yearbook, students connect with other students outside of the club to celebrate the moments that they’ve all shared, such as prom, homecoming, sports games, pep rallies, and more. The members have to collaborate with students and staff to find the names of individuals, making sure that everyone is named correctly and featured in the yearbook, solidifying the memories of the year into one book as well.

Although extracurricular activities significantly impact students, several barriers prevent them from participating. For example, one of the struggles of extracurriculars is the lack of transportation outside of parents or friends. Previously at EHHS, students could take a late bus after school on certain days, which helped them get home.

This allowed students to stay and participate in clubs, even if a parent or guardian was working and couldn’t pick them up. However, the late bus is no longer available at EHHS after the school changed bus companies. This change has negatively affected club attendance and participation since some students relied on the late buses for rides home. There appears to be a lack of student interest in joining clubs or participating in extracurricular activities as well. A survey to gather student input on their involvement in clubs was distributed through announcements, flex interactions, and emails, yet it received only 29 responses, despite the school having over 800 students. In retrospect, if students cannot take the time to complete a brief survey, it raises questions about their motivation to commit to a club.

There is also an issue with the stigma surrounding clubs and a lack of support for joining them, as well as the lack of notice given in effective ways. Clubs are perceived as a major commitment with strict scheduling and attendance; however, many clubs at EHHS offer flexible schedules and attendance. Similarly, some students noticed a stigma around joining a club alone, but students can find new people to talk to and discover new friends through these clubs. Additionally, in the survey sent to students, several noted that clubs were not publicized effectively, stating that many students do not listen to the announcements or do not have enough time to look at flyers in the hallways. 

This raises the question of how we, as a school, can improve the outreach of clubs to keep student interest. Mr. Adam Gardner and a handful of students agreed that creating a club fair or showcase during freshman orientation and throughout the school year during FLEX would allow students to discover the various extracurricular activities and clubs available at EHHS. This is an event that we have done with the 8th graders; however, this extension to our school could help to remind students what’s available and can spark an interest in students. With this, student surveys (although we saw there might be a lack of interest) that ask students about extracurricular activities they might be interested in and what they currently think about what could be improved or adjusted allow students to feel they are making a difference in their school and helping to create an environment where students can thrive.

Although there is a long way to go with student interest and outreach, extracurricular activities allow students to find a common interest, make new friends, and participate in something that they can feel proud of in the end.