The Impact of Participation in Extracurricular Activities on Elementary School Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and academic achievement. Surveys were administered to 23 4th-8th – grade students to gather information on their extracurricular participation, and data was collected on these students’ most recent standardized test scores and first-quarter grades. The quantitative data collected was then statistically analyzed using the SPSS program. The results of this analysis suggest a statistically significant positive correlation between hours spent participating in extracurricular activities and cumulative GPA. Students’ GPAs did not appear to be impacted by the total number nor types of activities in which they participated. No significant relationship was found between students’ standardized test scores and extracurricular participation. These results indicate a positive relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and overall GPA. These findings may assist teachers and school administrators in decision-making regarding the allocation of resources to extracurricular activities. Further research could be conducted in larger settings, in addition to examining the impact of student, teacher and parent attitudes on extracurricular participation and academic success