Last week, dozens of Chippewa High School’s band trophies and other awards were found in a trash dumpster behind the school. The discovery evoked memories and sentiment of current students, booster club parents, and alumni. School administration apologized, describing it “a big mistake by a single employee who has since been dealt with.”

Courtesy Katelyn Caldwell

This incident revealed and reinforced just how important extracurricular activities are to students and their families. One mother, whose son was killed while in high school, tearfully shared that, “band was so important to me and my family that I buried my son in a band uniform.”

Extracurricular activities impact students in many lasting ways, as evident by the community’s response to this unfortunate event. Here are three:

1. Students encourage others, celebrate wins, and learn from losses. The trophies damaged in this incident represented a much greater worth than simply the hardware from which they were created. They represented the hard work, sweat, and tears of generations of the school’s band students. Collectively, students learned how to pull together and work as a team to achieve a common goal.
2. Students develop discipline and establish a solid work ethic. Trophies represent the accomplishment of excellence that may be achieved only when each and every student exercises self discipline and a solid work ethic. These attributes benefit students throughout their lives, in the workplace, in their family lives, and in volunteer settings.
3. Students create a lifetime of memories. Upon discovering Chippewa’s trophies in the dumpster, a fifteen year alumni was reduced to tears. The teenage years are an impressionable time. Students cherish the precious memories they create through extracurriculars for a lifetime.

Now Is Your Time

This is the time of year when booster clubs prepare for the coming school year. They’ll soon be electing officers, appointing committee chairs, and recruiting volunteers for next year’s program. Now is your time to get involved, to support your child’s extracurricular activity, and to do something significant.

There’s no doubt that extracurricular activities make a lasting impact. We’ve seen that from Chippewa’s story. You have the opportunity to make a lasting impact by supporting extracurriculars. Volunteer. Find your niche, and fill a need. When you do, you’ll impact the lives of the next generation for years to come.

The Booster Leader

Once you’ve decided to volunteer, you’ll need a resource to guide you along the way. My book, The Booster Leader, 35 Leadership Essentials for a Thriving Booster Organization, is just that resource. The Booster Leader consists of…

• Thirty-five proven leadership essentials that are quick and easy to implement
• Eighteen inspirational stories that bring the leadership essentials to life
• A twenty-nine point checklist to help you identify risks that may jeopardize your organization if not properly addressed (and the answers to help you resolve every issue!)

Now is the time to start leading your own thriving booster organization. In The Booster Leader, I show you exactly how to do it!

Question: What memories do you have of high school extracurricular activities? You can leave a comment by clicking here.