Aug 2, 2021

The Most Popular Extracurricular Activities at U.S. High Schools | Amerigo Edu

U.S. high schools are known for providing a holistic educational experience for their students. Furthermore, American high schools offer students a great amount of freedom when paving their unique high school adventure. An integral part of creating this unique experience is extracurricular activities or out-of-school activities that complement academics. These activities include arts, music, sports, community service, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), student government, debate, and much more. These activities provide a nice opportunity for international students to get more involved in their school and meet some great friends. They also look great on a student’s college application.

Since there are so many options, choosing the best extracurricular activities can be a difficult task. Listed below are some of the most popular extracurricular activities for international students.

Carmel Catholic High School

Environmental Club

Carmel Catholic’s Environmental Club is committed to studying, preserving, and actively improving the environment. Students will learn and practice concepts like sustainability, conservation, and social justice. International students can get the chance to learn about the environment in the US and how to take action to solve pressing problems.

Photography Club

In Photography Club, students are able to practice their photo-taking skills in a fun environment. No equipment or experience is necessary to participate! Students discuss the current trends in social media and photography. International students can document their new experiences through photography and make lasting memories.

Scholastic Bowl

Scholastic Bowl is a team academic competition that takes questions from all high school courses, trivia, and sports. Students will compete against other schools in this game of knowledge and academic skills. International students can bring their unique experiences and knowledge to help the team.

Mock Trial

If you are interested in law, performance arts, or communication skills, then Mock Trial is the extracurricular for you. The Carmel Catholic Mock Trial team practices during the fall semester and competes in the Illinois state high school mock trial competition during the spring semester. Mock Trial is a tremendous way for international students to improve their public speaking skills and looks great on college applications.

Robotics

The Carmel Catholic Varsity Robotics Team was ranked #1 in the world in 2019, competing against 5,400 teams during its 2018 season. Tom, an Amerigo student from Vietnam, immensely enjoyed his experience as part of the Robotics team and plans to major in engineering in college.

Cretin-Derham Hall

Student Newspaper

Cretin-Derham’s student newspaper The Chronicle is designed, written, and produced by students. Participating in newspaper is a great way for international students to practice their English and learn about what’s going on at their school. Click here to see a recent edition of The Chronicle.

Ski/Snowboarding Club

During the winter months, Cretin-Derham offers a skiing and snowboarding club for students of all levels. The club encourages anyone to join—even if you have never gone skiing or snowboarding before. The club is a great way for international students to try a new activity out in a fun and supportive environment.

Robotics Club

Cretin-Derham’s Robotics Club is available to all students and all experience levels. Students get to learn about the technology and mechanics of building a robot. They also get to compete in robotics competitions. The club emphasizes teamwork and ensures that everyone has a role on the team.

Model United Nations

In Model UN students can act as representatives of different countries around the world to solve global issues. They will learn about diplomacy, foreign affairs, international relations, the United Nations itself. The club at Cretin-Derham even competes at a state competition twice a year—a great opportunity to participate in an academic competition.

Red Bank Catholic High School

Gaming Club

In Gaming Club, students learn the ropes of strategy board games. From Stratego to Clue, the club plays several types of games in a fun and relaxed environment. International students can meet friends and practice their critical thinking skills while playing games!

Astronomy Club

The Astronomy Club teaches students about many topics in space including black holes, galaxies, constellations, and more. Students get to participate in many astronomy related activities and even can attend public space observations called “star parties”.

Sailing Team

The Sailing Team gives students of all experience levels an opportunity to learn about sailing. Students usually practice twice a week and get to compete in weekly regattas (sailing competitions) during the season. International students can learn a cool new skill and get great exercise by participating in sailing.

Green & Gold Productions

Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 can engage in video production and live sports broadcasting. They will learn about all aspects of production: acting, directing, broadcasting, and editing. Students create their own projects and make professional quality videos. Not only is Green & Gold Productions an awesome introduction into production, but also provides a creative outlet for students.

most popular extracurricular activities for international students