Why Co-curriculars are Important to Your Child's Success

Co-curricular activities give students the opportunity to explore their interests, nurture their talents, and grow their strengths further than time allows in a traditional classroom setting. 

Co-curricular experiences are essential for college acceptance and success. College admissions teams look closely at a student’s academic achievements. However, co-curricular experiences offer a means by which to differentiate one high-performing student from the next.

Through co-curricular activities, students foster a sense of self, gain problem-solving skills, and learn to develop and nurture relationships. All of these skills are essential to success in a college environment and life.Some of the skills and personality traits students develop in co-curricular activities include: 

• Working with a team
• Understanding and practicing integrity
• Accepting failure
• Overcoming adversity
• Self-expression
• Sportsmanship
• Patience
• Decision making 
• Cooperation with peers
• Self-teaching
• Problem solving
• Leadership
• Extempore expression
• Sacrifice and control
• Physical fitness, strength, and agility
• Character
• Grit 
• Resilience 

Introducing a child to activities like filmmaking, art classes, chess club, music lesson, or science exploration when they are young gives them an opportunity to identify their strengths and focus on an area of interest they can build on. 

Here are some examples of co-curricular activities your child can benefit from early on:

Athletics

Practicing the fundamentals of sports offers a learning opportunity that reaches beyond physical fitness and teamwork. Sportsmanship is a skill that must be practiced at every level of development in a child’s educational journey. Maintaining a fair and polite level of behavior under less-than-ideal circumstances is a social skill that is essential in the adult world.

Academic Clubs

Classroom learning provides a solid foundation for a traditional education. Students who are especially interested in certain subjects often find that extending their academic experiences past the classroom in specialized academic clubs offers the chance to showcase their abilities and strengthen their skill-set.

Academic clubs also offer education in areas that may not be available during the school day. For example, a child that is interested in learning Mandarin may find the most engaging opportunities outside a typical classroom environment in a co-curricular activity.

Art Classes and Drama Clubs

An introduction to music, art, and drama are part of a traditional and well-rounded education in any good elementary, middle, and high school. Students with a keen interest in learning to play an instrument, a unique talent for creative expression, or children who would like to have performance experience find co-curricular art classes, dance classes, and drama clubs a valuable part of their lives during the college prep years.

In addition to enriching a student's educational experience, co-curriculars connect students with a peer group that shares similar interests and passions. For many students, co-curricular activities inspire a passion that carries on throughout their schooling and into adulthood. 

GAC offers a wide array of co-curricular activities during the school day and after school to enrich the student experience. Students have the opportunity to explore and develop their interests or their passions in academics, athletics, the arts, or missions. At GAC, there's something for everyone. Explore how your child can benefit from the well-rounded education we offer.