Do you think students should have to participate in an extracurricular activity? In my opinion, they should. I was in an after school activity, and it benefited me. Students should have to participate in, at least, one extracurricular activity because students learn how to work together as a group, it can help them connect what they are learning to the real world, it can teach them valuable lessons, and it can help students make friends.

Learning teamwork is very important. When you go to apply for a job, teamwork is a good skill to have. Also, in school, when students work with other students, they are showing teamwork. For example, on the school sports teams, they have to work together to win the game. Teamwork is a spectacular skill to have.

Another reason students should participate in after school activities is because it can help them connect what they're learning into the real world. For example, a student who works with the yearbook club helps them connect their writing skill to things other than just writing a short essay. A further example is if a student participates in the STEAM club, they are using science, technology, engineering, art, and math into something they can connect the materials to. Knowing how the skill students are learning connects to what they might do out of school might help them want to learn it.

A further reason is that it can teach students valuable lessons. Some students may be used to always being focused on one thing. If one of these students joins the school play, however, they would learn to focus on every detail. For another example, a student might be used to working on one topic, so joining an extracurricular activity may help with that. Also, being in an after school activity could help with developing social skills as well.

My final reason is that being in a after school group helps students make friends. Making friends is hard during a school day, especially when you're always moving classes. Even during a class, students are so focused on their work, they will not get the chance to talk to the people around them. When students join an extracurricular activity, making friends is easier. In these groups, you stay longer, most of the time, than in a class.

Being in an extracurricular activity benefits students by teaching them teamwork, connecting materials of learning to the real world, helping them learn a lesson that is important, and giving them a chance to make friends. Now, after reading, what's your opinion?