Many schools offer extracurricular activities for students to participate in. An extracurricular activity is a club, team, or other group that meets before or after school, such as playing football or acting in the school's musical. If my principal were to require each student to participate in at least one extracurricular activity, I would agree with his decision because it would teach students about responsibility, students would have more opportunities to make friends, and it could benefit their college applications.

Extracurricular activities can teach responsibility because they often have deadlines, meetings, and things that must be turned in. Being responsible is necessary to function as a human, especially if you are part of a club or team. If you miss a deadline, you could face getting removed from the group. If you skip a meeting, you may miss important information, and if you forget to turn in money, you probably won't be able to participate in the next big event. Children must learn how to be responsible at a young age, and extracurricular activities are a great way to teach it.

Having friends in school is crucial for a child. Children need to have someone to talk to, play with, and trust. When you participate in an extracurricular activity, it opens the door to making new friends. Students are more successful if they have someone to relate to, and if their friend is also in the same club, they have something to bond over. It is important for children to form friendships within their after-school activities because they will want to be more active in the group.

All throughout school, children are told to plan for their future. They are told to decide which college they are going to go to, and then do everything they possibly can to get there. Many students use extracurricular activities on their college applications, because it can set them apart from other students. If you played football throughout high school, you may be able to get a scholarship. Students who were on academic teams may have a better chance at getting into college. Extracurricular activities are very beneficial for college applications, and could make the difference when it comes to getting in.

Teaching responsibility, forming friendships, and bettering your chances of getting into college are just three of the reasons why I would agree with my principal's decision of requiring each student to participate in an extracurricular activity. With so many options, it wouldn't be hard for everyone to find something that they could enjoy. Students may enjoy and appreciate school more if there was a club they enjoyed there. Extracurricular activities are helpful and important for students.