In 2024, according to Principal Mackenzie, 85% of high school students were involved in some capacity at CHS. Whether it’s through sports, clubs, or other activities, CHS is thriving with student involvement. This kind of participation doesn’t happen in many schools, though. Although CHS has people turning out, many schools don’t have what Cashmere has.
Last year, in the 2024-2025 school year in the USA, over 8.2 million high school students out of 15.5 million high school students participated in activities that schools offered. Overall, schools across the country were getting 53% of students involved. That is barely over half their students.
Approximately, in high schools, students argue that there are many factors included in not participating in school activities. Time constraints from academics and jobs, financial and transportation barriers, and pressure can make extracurriculars more stressful than joyful.
Across the US, academics come first in most high schools. Teachers and administrators strive to build up the students’ knowledge, and leave students with less time to do activities for the school, putting all of their focus on their grades.
At Cashmere, academics take precedence over extracurricular activities; however, the average GPA at CHS is 3.48. This puts Cashmere above other school districts across the country, with students having an average GPA of 3.0.
This proves that students at Cashmere have consistently demonstrated greater academic success. When students have academics out of the way, they should have no excuse to become more involved in their school.
Teachers feel the same way as I do. Constantly around CHS, I hear teachers talking about student involvement. I’ve attended meetings where we talk about how to become more connected and get other students to participate. If Cashmere aims to put their involvement rate over the charts, I think this is a great way to stand above other schools.
Although other schools may suffer from reasons why students don’t participate, we don’t have that problem at Cashmere. We could have more student involvement, but compared to other schools, we are thriving in this department; however, we could always have more. Here at CHS, the cost of being in sports, clubs, and other activities isn’t high. This makes it simpler for students and families to participate in extracurricular activities, if they choose to.
Being involved in school has many benefits. Through activities, many scholarships are available for life after high school. These scholarships open up opportunities for students to grow in their future, and they prepare them for what is going to come after high school.
Another good reason they should be more involved in high school is to find who they are as a person. High school is the time to find out what you want to do and who you are. Through these activities, you’ll find people who suit you and will guide you through your high school life because they care for you. Through extracurriculars, you will find mentors, lifelong friends, and yourself.
Personally, I got involved when I was young, and I am incredibly grateful for that. Through extracurriculars, I found my friends and teachers whom I could trust. I now have a sense of what I would want to do with my life, and all of the activities I have been doing are making a difference for my resume. I am absolutely thankful for all of these people and experiences that have made my life a million times better.
Students should be involved in extracurricular activities. Although many students are already involved in these activities, lots of students aren’t. It is our goal to get these students to participate.
At CHS, around 448 out of 527 students are participating in extracurricular activities. The goal is to get 98% of students involved in the Cashmere School District. Through dedication and more student involvement, we can reach our goal and become a part of something bigger.
