Clubs and Activities at St. Michael’s College School

Choosing the right high school is as much about selecting a strong academic curriculum as it is about finding opportunities to grow outside of the classroom. Pursuing an extracurricular life through various clubs and activities will not only support students’ interests, but help them acquire new skills. In doing so, students will be provided an opportunity to build meaningful relationships with like-minded peers who share similar passions.

At St. Michael’s College School, students can participate in over 60 different clubs and activities that span a wide range of academic, artistic, athletic, musical, cultural, and leadership interests. These extracurriculars are specifically designed to help students develop their skill sets, build confidence, engage in new ideas, and form new friendships.

If you are wondering why clubs and activities are a vital part of student life at St. Michael’s College School, take a look at some of the key benefits below.

The Role of Clubs and Activities in High School

Clubs and activities play an important role in shaping students’ intellectual curiosity, personal, and academic interests and even career goals. With opportunities to explore individual interests in depth, students can learn more about what they love and really begin to define themselves by what they do, how they think, and how they work with others.

Clubs and activities promote personal growth. High school marks an important time in a student’s life for defining interests, pursuing passions and developing a stronger sense of self. Extracurriculars that align with a student’s personal goals help them to hone their skills and feel more confident in their abilities.

For aspiring musicians, this means mastering your instrument, learning to play in an ensemble, and practicing in pursuit of excellence. For debate team members, this means researching different points of view on important issues, engaging in intellectual discussions driven by reason, and developing sound arguments from more than one perspective. All of these skills not only enrich students’ minds, but also build on and strengthen their personal qualities.

Clubs and activities improve academic performance. Apart from exploring academic interests in more depth, clubs and activities help students to improve their academic performance by teaching them valuable time-management skills, as they learn to balance their class work with their extracurricular involvement. It also teaches them the value of discipline, as they begin to see the positive payoff of practice, hard work, and perseverance in pursuit of their interests.

Clubs and activities foster a sense of community. Lifelong friendships are often forged outside of the classroom, which is another reason why joining a club or engaging in an activity with peers who share similar passions is an invaluable high school experience. Moreover, many extracurriculars also involve volunteer work, where students can engage with the wider community, and foster new relationships that help them to develop a sense of purpose outside of school.

Clubs and activities offer leadership opportunities. Many clubs offer students opportunities to occupy leadership roles and gain experience managing a team, coordinating events and acting as leaders in their community.

Developing leadership skills in a supportive extracurricular environment helps students to better prepare for university life and the workforce by learning the importance of accountability, collaborating with a team, and working together towards a shared vision. Students also learn how to solve problems, delegate tasks, take initiative, and communicate effectively.

Clubs and activities are important for university admissions. Universities are always looking for applicants who pursue and cultivate interests outside of a classroom setting. Participating in extracurricular activities is a way for students to demonstrate their level of commitment to their interests, as well as their involvement in the community. Extracurriculars can also help students earn recognition outside of academics, which is important to university admissions officers seeking well-rounded students.

What Awaits Students at St. Michael’s School

At St. Michael’s College School, students can learn new languages, pursue entrepreneurial activities, play competitive sports, volunteer at organizations that matter to them, deep-dive into creative passions using different mediums and forms of artistic expression, and take on leadership roles in their community according to their interests and academic goals.

How to Make the Right Choice

With so many options to choose from, students can build an extracurricular schedule that meets their needs and that helps to carve out a place for themselves among their peers, while supporting each other’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

It is important that students choose clubs and activities that reflect who they are, that challenge them to reach their potential and to learn something new. Students should choose extracurriculars which align with their existing hobbies or that help them to develop their interests outside of the classroom.

It is also important for students to keep in mind their individual goals, and how their choice of clubs and activities impact their academic career and support their post-secondary application. If a student already knows what they want to study, it may be beneficial to join a club or engage in an activity that supports that journey.

By participating in clubs and activities, students can develop lifelong skills that not only help to boost their academic performance but that also serve to reinforce their sense of self and sense of place in the world. Choosing a high school that offers different opportunities for students to socialize with their peers and community members, develop leadership skills, and gain access to resources that will nourish their unique interests and spark new passions is an essential part of paving the way towards a bright future.

Check out our Clubs and Activities here.