Extracurricular activities exist at all levels of education. Activities are usually voluntary, non-paying, social, and philanthropic as opposed to scholastic. School faculty usually runs the activities, although student-run initiatives are also common.
Extra curriculum first began in colleges in the nineteenth century. The first extracurricular activities were student literacy societies, debate clubs, and Greek letter fraternities and sororities. Students also initiated and organized early athletic programs on American college campuses.
In high schools, extracurricular activities such as sports teams and school newspapers have been around since the World War One era. High schools also have activities that require extra time outside of school hours, and some of these include bands and choirs.
Schools and companies seeking employees may not look entirely at a student’s grade point average; employers might look at extracurricular activities to ensure that applicants are the best suited and most rounded.¹ A few examples of extracurricular activities include volunteering, student government, Model United Nations, yearbook, and Moot Court.
Resources:
1. About. What counts as an extracurricular activity for college admissions? Retrieved May 14, 2014, from http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/f/what-is-an-extracurricular-activity.htm
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