I felt excitement swell in my chest as I stepped up to the plate, batting for my school's softball team. My teammates' cheers mixed with the chatter in the stands, creating a joyful sensation deep inside of me unique to this moment. That instant, I knew that playing softball for the school had been a wonderful decision. If other people had not encouraged me to participate in this activity, though, I never would have tried out for the team. I agree with the principal's decision to require students to participate in extracurricular activities because they prepare students for the future, allow students to have new experiences, and encourage school spirit.

The first reason it is a good idea to make extracurricular activities a requirement is because they prepare students for the future. In many occupations, teamwork is vital in order to become a success. Extracurricular activities require the same sort of teamwork in order to meet the goals of the group. For example, you must work as a team to win in sports, and it is important play to the strengths of each individual in your group if you want to create a high-quality yearbook. Along with this, extracurricular activities build strong work ethic in participants. My father played sports all throughout his high school career. He says that when he had other people on his team relying on him, his work ethic naturally increased because he didn't want to disappoint his peers. These words ring true for any group activity. When students participate extracurricular activities, which usually require group work, they will gain work ethic to carry all the way to their future jobs. These activities are definitely a necessary requirement in schools because they help a student can gain work ethic and teamwork skills that will aid them in the future.

In addition, a mandatory extracurricular activity encourages students to branch out and try something new that they may come to love. I am a living example of this. Before this school year, I dreaded participating in any form of a performance in front of anyone. When I stood onstage, my stomach twisted into knots, my knees shook, and my palms became slippery with sweat. It was torture! After participating in my school's extracurricular choir program, though, I learned to push past my initial fear of performing and enjoy it. Now, thanks to this activity, I find being on stage and entertaining exciting and enjoyable. As you can see, new activities are a chance to learn and grow. In an activity that they've never tried before, a student can find a passion they didn't even know they had! Many people won't try something new on their own, though, so making extracurricular activities mandatory would be a smart way to encourage students to embrace a new opportunity.

Finally, requiring a school-based extracurricular activity is important because it builds school spirit in the student body. Imagine the star player on the school basketball team standing at the free throw line. A hush falls over the crowd as he bounces the ball once, twice. The ball then leaves his hands and sails through the air, landing in the basket with a perfect swish . The crowd roars, waving hand-painted signs provided by the student council and chanting the player's name. Now imagine if that player hadn't joined the team. Imagine if no one at all wanted to join the team, or if there were no excited students at the game to cheer and wave their signs. This moment could never have happened if no one was there to participate in extracurricular activities. As a result, there would be far less school spirit. Like sports, clubs, yearbook committees, and other groups of that sort generate school spirit. When a group of students work together to accomplish something, such as painting a school mural or publishing a yearbook, the students feel a sense of pride in what they have done, and everyone who sees their work feels that same school spirit. This is a sensation that can't be felt in a regular core class. It happens when students band together outside of the regular classroom to do something special. If everyone were required to participate in an extracurricular activity, this sense of school spirit and pride would surge through the entire student body, filling every student.

When extracurricular activities are mandatory for students, so much can be gained. I support the principal's decision to require every student to participate in something extracurricular because these activities prepare students for the future, encourage students to gain new experiences, and build school spirit. If only a few willing students participate in extracurricular activities, these benefits can't take place for everyone, so we must allow these activities to be made mandatory.