School life is not all about studying for the exams; it also includes making friends, improving social skills and participating in diverse extracurricular activities. Stephen Varanko III mentions that students would have numerous opportunities to learn new skills and ignite new passions in their school life, outside of the typical framework of any educational curriculum. He stresses upon the fact that extracurricular activities are quite vital to the overall development and progress of any child, and plays a key role in their holistic growth. Mr. Varanko himself took part in multiple extracurricular activities during his school life, and hence is well aware of their importance.
School students quite commonly get burdened with studies, and let go of their hobbies. Both so should not be the case. To ensure the all-round development and growth of a child, extracurricular activities are almost as important as good scholastic education. Stephen Varanko III points out that taking part in extracurricular activities during the school years can go a long way in strengthening the social skills of a child, and provide them with a much-needed avenue to relax their mind. Moreover, participation in these activities can indirectly improve the academic performance of students as well. Students often learn time management and organizational skills in many of these activities, which invariably helps them out during the exam time and aids them to get better grades.
Stephen Varanko III underlines that there are many advantages of taking part in extracurricular activities in school. Here are a few of them:
- Learning new skills: Extracurricular activities enable children to learn new skills that would stay with them for a lifetime, and enrich their lives for many years. Right from learning a new musical instrument to playing a particular sport, people can easily engage in any type of extracurricular activity that they are truly interested in. Moreover, extracurricular activities can even be helpful in instilling important personality traits among people that would be helpful in other walks of life. For example, while sports can help develop teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills, learning musical instruments can help people to improve their creativity levels and hand-eye coordination.
- Augment social skills: There are many extracurricular activities in which the children shall be required to engage with their peers in a social setting. This can be a great opportunity for them to make new friends, outside their classroom and develop important social skills. These activities can help children to open up, and not face anxiety while meeting new people. There are many activities that help in the development of self-esteem and confidence as well. As people become expert in a new skill, they would invariably gain a sense of accomplishment, which would boost their confidence levels.
- Impress universities: Extracurricular activities add an extra punch to the resume of a person, whether they are applying for universities or jobs. These skills demonstrate that a person has varied interests, and does not only reply on bookish knowledge.
Stephen Varanko III himself took part in many sports during his school years, which subsequently aided him to develop a number of important skills.
