The Relationship Between Extracurricular Activities And Academic Achievement In American High School Students

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine the relationship between academic achievement and extracurricular participation. Three main "schools of thought" were found to exist with regard to the merit of extracurriculars: The Negativist, the Positivist, and the Optimist. Historically, the emergence of public education through around the 1960s was predominately Negativist. The prevailing view up until recently was Positivist, but research has indicated support for both positions and a new theory, The Optimist, is emerging as an evidence based perspective on extra-curricular activity and positive student outcomes.