Does Participation in Extracurricular Activities Impact Student Achievement

This study was conducted in two high schools located in suburban, Long Island, New York, with a predominantly white population. The respondents in this study consisted of 234, 11th grade students. The data was analyzed using the structural equation model. Findings show that there is a positive correlation between percent of participation in organizations and academic self-concept. There is a positive correlation between self-concept and academic selfconcept, as well as a correlation between self-concept and percent of participation in sports. An inverse correlation was found between the percent of participation in an organization and self-concept. Purpose of the Study Growing evidence demonstrates the overall value of participation in organized activities for positive youth development, including fewer behavior problems, improved academic self-concept, and increased educational achievement (Feldman & Matjasko, 2005). To date, there haven't been many studies to determine if various extracurricular activities in combination have a greater impact than one particular type alone. Though there has been a great deal of research surrounding extracurricular athletic activities, there hasn't been much research comparing various types of extracurricular activities to determine if certain extracurricular activities have a greater affect on a student's overall grade point average or academic selfconcept. The review of the relevant literature indicated relationships among participation in extracurricular activities and academic achievement. Adolescent students' involvement in extracurricular activities, both athletic-based and academic-based, has shown to increase student achievement and increase academic self-concept. Researchers have essentially showed agreement throughout the review of the literature. The study is important because much of today's research tend to support the academic and psychological development benefits of extracurricular involvement. Many think that participating in a variety of different organized activities will bring higher grades motivation and a positive self-concept. What we fail to realize is that for some youth, over scheduling them with extracurricular activities can bring about negative consequences academically and psychologically. The study also examined the effect of four variables (Academic Self-Concept, Self-Concept, Percent of Participation in Sports and Percent of Participation in an organization) on students' academic achievement. Academic achievement is measure by scores in ELA, Math, and overall GPA. The study was conducted in two suburban, Long Island, New York high schools with a predominantly white population. Many schools encourage Middle School and High School students to join sports. This study will help schools determine which type of extracurricular makes the biggest positive impact on academic achievement. The following research questions guide this study. 1. What is the relationship among the four variables (self-concept, academic self-concept, the level of student participation in after-school sports and organizations) and the final Grade Point Average (GPA), English Language Arts (ELA) and Math scores for eleventh graders? 2. What is the impact, if any, of the four variables (selfconcept, academic self-concept, the level of student participation in after-school sports and organizations) on the Final Grade Point Average (GPA), English Language Arts (ELA) and Math scores for eleventh graders? Theoretical Framework Participation in school-based extracurricular activities like sports, the arts, and academic clubs, provides opportunities for student growth both educationally and developmentally (Mahoney et al., 2006). There have been many studies that show a positive relationship between participating in after school sports or an organizational activity and a student's final Grade Point Average (GPA). Mahoney et al., (2005) stated activity participation by adolescents has been found to be linked with higher educational attainment, and achievement reduced problem behaviors and heightened 22 S p r i n g , 2 0 1 6 J o u r n a l f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d I n s t r u c t i o n psychosocial competencies (Mahoney et al., 2005). Astin (1984) and Tinto (1975) stated involvement helps students connect with their institution and develop an attachment that encourages exploration, and it facilitates social interaction by increasing peer friendships and time with faculty and staff (Astin, 1984; Tinto, 1975). For this study, the review of the research literature is divided into the following topical headings: academic self-concept, academic achievement, and extracurricular activities. Academic Achievement Many researchers have hypothesized that there is a significant correlation between academic achievement and the level of extracurricular participation, marked by increases in students’ academic achievement (Feldman & Matjasko, 2005). Early research reported mixed results as to the association between participation in extracurricular activity and academic achievement in the form of grade point average (Holland & Andre, 1987). Extracurricular activities are believed to influence academic self-concept (Jacobs, Vernon, & Eccles, 2004). Stakeholders are concerned about educational performance within the public school setting. Many school reforms have been based off of these concerns stemming from students’ academic achievement. Academic Self-Concept Conventional wisdom suggests that academic performance should be related to general self-esteem. According to Goodman and Young (2006), the higher the student's academic performance, the higher their self-esteem should be and vice versa. According to Holland and Andre (1987), all students start school being identified with academics, meaning their academic performance in a relation to how they feel about themselves. Self-esteem, however, is only one of several predictors of academic performance (Steele, 1992). Being that many prior studies have shown that academic self-concept is significantly related to academic performance, further studies have been conducted to isolate the effect of academic self-concept between various ethnicities, and between genders. Extracurricular Activities In Mahoney et al. (2006), the recent national survey showed that more than 80% of children and youth participated in extracurricular contexts (Mahoney et al., 2006). Eccles and Gootman (2002) and Holland and Andres (1987), also stated there is an increasing awareness that participation in organized activity contexts offers valuable opportunities for growth and positive youth development (Eccles & Gootman, 2002; Holland & Andres, 1987). Participating in extracurricular activities becomes increasingly important during adolescence, as youth explore their emerging interests and identities, make friends with others, and strive to fit in with their peers. Participation in school-based extracurricular activities, like sports, the arts, and academic clubs, is a normative and important part of the school experience for many youths (Fredricks, 2012). In Fredricks and Eccles (2006), "adolescents participating in a greater number of activities in 11th grade obtained a higher grade point average and had greater expectations about their educational attainment during and after high school" (Fredricks & Eccles, 2006, p. 12). Prior research tends to support the development benefits of extracurricular involvement, and school completion rates (Fredricks, 2012) Athletic Extracurricular Activities Equally important, Shulruf (2010) stated that extracurricular activities are an integral component of school life. Marsh & Kleitman (2003) and McCarthy (2000), the study found that participation in athletics is linked to improved school attendance, academic outcomes, social relationships and self-esteem (Marsh & Kleitman, 2003; McCarthy, 2000; Shulruf, 2010). Academic Extracurricular Activities McCarthy (2000) found that there is a significant correlation between academic extracurricular activities and academic performance. McCarthy's study proved that students who participate in academic extracurricular activities are stronger performers academically, and typically report higher GPA's than noninvolved peers or students who participated in other types of out-of-district extracurricular activities (McCarthy, 2000).