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nature, when we know that a success is not solely ours to take credit for, just as losses are not only our responsibility. We learn that camaraderie is as important in high school as it will be in college, at a job, and within our own families. Teamwork is well applied to studies. Group activities will be well monitored by the active students who already know how to share, delegate and carry their own weight!

I work for a theatre company that participates in a theatre program for urban high school students who are considered "at risk." The school we chose was a school designated for, who administrators referred to as, "the worst of the worst." They were students expelled from the local public school and had nowhere else to go. However, each student involved in our program showed a marked improvement in grades. Even their attitudes towards school softened. Theatre provided these students an outlet-a chance to pretend to be someone else for a little while. And, at the end, eight students who could barely construct a complete sentence performed Shakespeare's Hamlet for their families, peers and teachers. They helped each other when one dropped a line, they assisted the other actors with costume changes and prop settings, and, at the end, grasped hands and took the most well-deserved bow I have ever seen on stage.

Involvement in extra-curricular activities does not have to be expensive, overly time consuming, or exhausting. It doesn't even have to be school related. Religious groups often offer activities for youths, generally requiring only a few hours per week worth of time. Get creative. If no school activities look interesting, try volunteering. Animal shelters, food banks, and hospitals are always in need of help with various duties.

The choice of extra-curricular activity matters little. What matters most is the student's enjoyment of it. Amazingly, the rest of the benefits simply fall into place!

Learn more about this author, Jennie Kelley.
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