In Extracurricular Activities, That Is.
When most parents and students think “extracurricular activities” they often think of playing sports or a musical instrument. Some may think dance or cheer, and others may think theatre. The fore mentioned are all easily seen when looking at the opportunities for a student to participate in junior high and high school. However, the opportunity for extracurricular activities is much more expansive than one may realize.
When selecting activities to spend time and energy outside of academics, there are several things to consider. Interest being the most common, of course. Getting involved in your community or participating in an activity to stay fit also are common considerations, and some select activities to build a college or job resume. Finally, some are looking to earn scholarships. Holly Kirby, a UIL coach at Wylie High School, said there are so many opportunities at the high school for students to participate in and these opportunities help build character and skills beyond the classroom.
“The more experiences we can offer the kids outside the bubble (leadership, teamwork and achievement) the more we prepare them to embrace better opportunities and stronger experiences in the future,” said Kirby. “They become better citizens in our community.”
Kirby said students coming in from junior high often don’t realize all the activities available to them. In recent years, the campuses are doing more to help students and their families learn more about the organizations and activities that aren’t as visible as activities like football, band, FFA or drill team.
For students who are looking to earn scholarship money, playing a sport or being in the top percent of their class for academics aren’t the only options. This past spring, seven fine art students at Wylie were awarded scholarships ranging from $17-$54K.
Kirby said with Academic UIL, students can start on a varsity team as a freshman and start earning scholarships that year. She said pouring themselves into a program early in their high school career allows them to lead well their junior and senior year. “The key to a successful program is having freshmen who then led as juniors and seniors: they build a legacy of success,” said Kirby.
In recent years, Wylie’s UIL Academics has seen great success. Read about Wylie’s state champion Tehzeeb Grewal on pg.14 – one of Kirby’s UIL competitors. Additionally, there are many other extracurricular programs at Wylie growing and seeing increased success and often don’t require a huge commitment to do well.
So, where are you going to spend your time? Check out the list of activities offered at the high school campus for the upcoming school year.
Note: Some extracurricular activities require referrals or qualifications in order to participate, so if your child is interested have them contact the coordinator early on to see what is required.
NON-SPORTS
• Audio/Video Production
• Band Jazz
• Band Steel Drum
• Chess
• Choir
• Debate
• Destination Imagination
• Dice Club (Board Games)
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America)
• The Dawg Pack (Flag Runners)
• HOSA (Health Science/Future Health Professionals)
• National Honor Society
• Newspaper – The Paw Print
• PALS (Peer Assistance, Leadership and Service)
• Purple Dog Company
• Sports Broadcasting
• Student 2 Student
• Student Council
• TAFE (Texas Association of Future Educators)
• Texas State Citizen Bee
• Theatre Tech
• UIL Academic Teams
• Unified Athletics
• Yearbook
SPORTS
• Athletic Trainers/Sports Medicine
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Bass Fishing Team
• Cheerleading
• Cross Country
• Football
• Gymnastics
• Golf
• Powerlifting
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming
• Diving
• Tennis
• Track & Field
• Unified Athletics
• Volleyball