A study is shown that most club participants tend to be females from two-parent families with high socioeconomic status. Share your thoughts on how schools could change this statistic, making school activities more inclusive for all students (males, low economic families, single parents, etc) by Amelia Lavorato

Reese Baughman

2023-10-23 18:50:38 UTC

Schools could change this statistic by encouraging every student to participate in at least one activity. I feel like females may be more involved in more activities than males may be. From personal experience, I am more involved in extracurricular activities than my younger brother is. I am a part of many school clubs and compete in dance within the school and at a studio that consumes my schedule. While my brother does participate in lots of sports, my parents have had to influence him to join school clubs and get involved in other ways different from sports. With parent or even friend support, everyone can get involved in a school activity.

Ella Knappenburger

eknappenbur4022 — 2023-10-25 15:09:41 UTC

Schools can change this statistic by the school encouraging the students to join the various types of clubs the school offers. I also believe that if you have another sibling they can either lead you to join clubs or you can lead them to join the clubs that are fun and beneficial for them. The school can also advocate for the clubs more to help the students hear about the less seen clubs.

Jenna Pennington

2023-10-25 15:31:14 UTC

Schools could change this statistic by encouraging the students to participate in at least one club or a various amount of clubs based on how social the student is. I think that schools could also talk about the clubs that are more irrelevant to the others that a lot of people are already apart of and are always talked about over the announvements.

caroline matricaria

cmatricaria4149_ — 2023-10-25 15:32:46 UTC

schools could change this statistic by trying to advertise for clubs more and maybe going around at lunches or during gyms have a club fair to get people to sign up. the less advocated clubs, the less likely people are to either know they even exist, let alone join them.

Tessa Waszkiewicz

twaszkiewic4024 — 2023-10-25 15:33:43 UTC

Schools should change this statistic by talking more about the benefits of clubs not only short term, but also long term. Students may see that this can benefit me in many ways down the road. Offering a big variety of different clubs may also peak interests of different students. One last things schools can do is ensuring that students have a way of getting to the club and home. This will allow things to be much easier for parents and students.

Emilia Drab

2023-10-25 15:40:43 UTC

Schools could offer scholarships for students who want to become more involved in clubs/activities but can't because of financial issues, meaning that they wouldn't have to pay full price because some would be funded by the school. A friend of mine (whose parents are divorced and who doesn't have the best financial status) is taking voice lessons from a teacher (hired by the school) and she doesn't have to pay full price because the rest is funded for by the school's Music Department. Another student whose family isn't divorced and whose financial status is pretty good takes lessons from the same teacher but pays full price because she and her family can afford it. Males being more sport-oriented and staying away from clubs seems like a modern day stereotype to me. I feel like the males who are currently participating in clubs should be more highlighted when events like 8th Grade Night and the Activity Fair are happening to show that males don't only have to be involved in sports and should be encouraged to branch out to clubs.

Emily Block

eblock4045 — 2023-10-25 15:45:09 UTC

I think creating clubs that aren't geared toward women and help fund for students could increase and change the statistic. I believe if more clubs were created tailored to the non- represented group of people, they would change the statistic.

Max Zhu

mzhu4010 — 2023-10-25 15:50:07 UTC

Schools could try and encourage more inclusive clubs by helping promote clubs/letting more specific clubs open, ones that appeal to certain demographics. This way, students could find out more easily about the clubs that appeal to them and be more likely to seek them out. I'm also curious as to whether sports were considered in this study, as there tend to be a more male-teams rather than female ones, naturally removing more males from joining clubs since they already have another commitment.

Ava Pena

2023-10-26 03:35:51 UTC

Schools could make it more inclusive by spreading the word more. They could also make clubs more about surrounding things a group of people could have in common regarding interests and activities. For example, Hinsdale Central has two extra curricular choirs for people who can't fit choir into their schedules but anyone of anyone can participate. It just isn't as common of a club.

Kara Dominguez

2023-10-26 13:49:23 UTC

Schools could encourage inclusivity through clubs by targeting certain groups of people based on their likings or backgrounds. It's comforting for individuals to be able to find others who share similarities with themselves.

Betsy Sciortino

2023-11-01 16:12:52 UTC

Personally I belive that the reason that this is, is because if the fact that many students are soley participating in these types of activities because of pressures of college and programs that they are trying to attend. I know from experince at central, almost everyone is trying to get into the best clubs and activities for the apeal to colleges. this being said I think many are marketed towards women and high social class families. I think as a society we need to step out of the idea that these clubs and actvities are strictly for your status for college and programs that are being presented.