The Value of Student Activities

As No Child Left Behind (NCLB) continues to top school district agendas across the United States, student activity advisors often struggle to continue to provide strong activity programs in the face of diminishing budgets and increased emphasis on federal requirements for higher student achievement.

Because research has shown a strong relationship between participation in student activities and academic achievement, and student activities support the goal of teaching students to be responsible and fulfilled human beings, the Alliance for Student Activities strives to provide information to help advisors and others support the value of their programs to those who might not yet realize how vital student activities are.

The Case for High School Activities

The National Federation of State High School Associations believes that activities support the academic mission of schools and are inherently educational. They have put together an impressive listing of the evidence supporting the value of student activities at the high school level. View the evidence

Statement of the National Association of Secondary School Principals on Student Activities 

NASSP’s Board of Directors has issued a supportive statement on student activities that outlines the guiding principles behind having student activities and lists recommendations for student activity programs. Share this with your principal and school board. Read NASSP's statement

Rebuilding the Stock of Social Capital

Student activities are an overlooked, but extremely valuable experience in forging civic habits and should be viewed as a strategic long-term investment in a community, according to this article from The School Administrator, a publication of the American Association of School Administrators. It also states that “we must give youth an opportunity to work on projects outside of schools in which they can contribute and lead.” Read the article

The Bridge to Civility: Empathy, Ethics and Service

Developing a social consciousness in the young means engaging them in meaningful activity, according to this article from The School Administrator, a publication of the American Association of School Administrators. “To promote civility, nurture character, and develop civic commitment in young people requires that we reconnect them with their community, help them understand and appreciate others, and show them that they can make a difference.” Read the article