After-school Activities

Did you know that your free-time activities can help you create the future you want? No matter what you're interested in, there's a place for you to explore your likes, learn more about the things that excite you and make new friends who share your goals.

After-school activities can be a great way to beef up your college applications, too. Colleges like to see that you're involved with activities beyond the classroom — and they want to see the real you. So whether you're into drama, sports, art, camping, computers or any other sort of activity, consider finding a way to pursue your hobby (or hobbies) in your down-time. Extracurricular activities can be a great way to prepare for your future, in more ways than one!

So, have a little free time? Try out one of these after-school activities!

Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts

No matter where your interests lie, Girl Scouts is a popular organization that will provide opportunities for fun, friendship and learning more about yourself. You'll have opportunities to help your community — or possibly even a community in a totally different part of the world. You may find yourself learning about wildlife and the environment, planting trees or cleaning up your hometown. You'll have opportunities to learn about managing your own money, getting fit and healthy, exploring your creative or technical side, and more. You may also have chances to travel and to camp with your troop.

Girl Scouts is open to all girls in grades K-12. Annual fees for the Girl Scouts are just $10. To find a Girl Scout troop near you, check out the Girl Scouts Web site.

Boy Scouts is focused on learning about the outdoors and developing your leadership abilities. As a Boy Scout, you will learn to camp and hike, and how to take care of the land without harming the environment. You'll study wildlife up close and learn more about nature.

Boy Scouts is open to boys starting in first grade through the age of 17. Dues vary depending on your troop. To find a Boy Scout troop in your area, use the Local Council Locator.

Both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts allow you to move up in the organization as you get older, and you'll earn badges to show the skills you've mastered as a scout.

Boys and Girls Clubs of America

Boys and Girls Clubs of America sponsors an enormous range of programs. Club Tech, sponsored by Microsoft, helps clubs provide computer and software training for students. Club Tech also sponsors the annual Digital Arts Festival, which allows students to submit their original Web sites, music, movies and photography. Triple Play helps kids learn how to eat right and keep fit. ImageMakers teaches students photography skills, and MusicMakers teaches songwriting, drums and guitar. NetSmartz teaches Internet safety skills. Torch Club helps kids create and complete their own community service projects. Youth for Unity is a diversity education program designed to combat prejudice, bigotry and discrimination. For the athletically inclined, BGCA also offers NFL Youth Football and Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA.

If you're specifically focused on career and educational goals, there are programs for that, too. Career Launch is a career exploration and mentoring program for teens age 13-18. Goals for Graduation helps students set academic goals, and Power Hour provides homework help and tutoring. Money Matters: Make It Count is a program designed to help teens learn to manage money. Project Learn gives students a chance to enjoy activities that are both fun and educational, such as leisure reading, writing activities and games like Scrabble.

These are just some of the programs offered by BGCA; to find out which programs are available in your community, check the BGCA Web site or call (800) 854-CLUB. BCGA is open to students in two age groups — 6 to 12, and 13 to 18. Boys and Girls Clubs of America can often be found at local middle schools.

4-H

While you may think of 4-H as a "farming" club, this organization goes far beyond its historical origins. Today's 4-H offers the opportunity to learn about hobbies like photography, computers, rocketry, arts and crafts, sewing and woodworking — as well as more traditional farm-based activities like archery, beekeping, gardening, and raising and showing cattle and sheep. More than 65,000 Texas youth are members of 4-H clubs, and another 850,000 Texans get involved in 4-H through school, after-school programs or at neighborhood or youth centers.

4-H can also help you build leadership skills, through activities like conducting meetings, handling club funds, mentoring local children and doing volunteer work in your community.

4-H is open to all kids between the ages of 9 and 19. There are no state or national 4-H dues, but individual clubs may have a small annual fee or conduct fundraising activities to raise money for their chapter. To find a 4-H club in your area, check the Texas 4-H Web site.

Junior Achievement

Do you want to be the next Donald or Ivanka Trump? Do you dream of being your own boss? If you have an interest in business or finance, Junior Achievement might be a great extracurricular activity for you. Junior Achievement can help prepare you for the real world by showing you how to make and manage money, create jobs in your community and become a successful entrepreneur. You can learn about the history of business in the United States, how the economy works all around the world and what career options are available to you.

Junior Achievement is open to students in grades K-12. The program offers lessons both for the classroom and during after-school programs, and there's no cost to participate. To find a JA office near you, check their Web site, call (719) 540-8000 or send an e-mail to newmedia@ja.org.

YMCA

The YMCA is known as a popular community gathering place in many towns. The number of activities at your local Y will probably cover almost anything you're interested in. In addition to indoor athletics like basketball, vollyeball and swimming, your local YMCA may offer baseball, softball, T-ball, soccer, tennis and gymnastics. The Y is also becoming an increasingly popular place to study the arts. More than 750 YMCAs across the country now offer arts classes — you may find painting, writing, singing, dancing or acting lessons at your local Y. And that's not all: Many community YMCAs offer after-school tutoring, mentoring programs, computer classes and other youth activities. Some even have teen and pre-teen dances!

To find the YMCA nearest to you, check the YMCA Web site. Age restrictions at each YMCA are different, so contact your local Y to find out if you will need to go with an adult. Membership fees also vary depending on location, so be sure to ask how much it will cost.

Sports and Fitness

Are you crazy about baseball or soccer? How about gymnastics or dance? Even if you don't plan to become a professional athlete or an Olympian, your interest in sports can help you build a great future. Sports teach discipline and teamwork — and those are qualities that look great on college applications! Maybe you're already involved in a sport, or maybe you're just thinking about starting one. If you've never been involved in athletics, think about what you enjoy - do you want to be part of the camaraderie of a team? Do you enjoy the challenge of playing someone one-on-one? Do you like activities that require sheer strength, or are you more interested in strategy? Where do your natural talents lie? (Even if you don't think you'd be talented at the sport of your choice, don't be afraid to try! The important thing is that you challenge yourself and have fun!)

Many schools offer athletics programs — you may be able to join a school team to play tennis, basketball, football, baseball, softball, hockey, swimming, soccer, cheerleading, dance, wrestling, volleyball, lacrosse or a number of other sports. And even if your school doesn't offer the sport you're interested in, you may have an opportunity to participate when you get to high school. If you want to find an athletic opportunity outside your school — either one of the above, or another sport, like martial arts or even yoga — talk to your parent, or look in your local phone book under "sports," "fitness" or "athletics."

Most sports programs at school are free — but you may have to pay dues, buy your own uniform or gear, or pay for other equipment. Most (but certainly not all) programs in your community will have some cost associated.

Arts Programs

If you're more interested in creative pursuits, there's a huge number of arts programs just waiting for you! You may be into drawing, painting, acting, writing, singing, taking photos or playing a musical instrument — these hobbies will all teach you to express yourself, stretch your imagination and work hard while you're having a great time.

The great thing about creative pursuits is that you often don't need any formal lessons or a "proper" place to do them. So don't feel that you have to take classes or join a group to follow your hobby. Grab a camera, a piece of paper or a paintbrush, and get to it! Gather up some friends and stage a play for your family, or even a local community group or senior home. Don't be afraid to start your first comic book or novel — you don't have to be a grown-up to create something people will love.

If you're interested in training, many schools offer band, choir, drama, writing and art programs — this can be a great way to try out different creative extracurriculars. If your school doesn't offer the program you want, you can also find opportunities in your community — though there may be a cost. (Be sure to check out the listing for the YMCA above — this can be a great place to find arts classes!) Museums often offer inexpensive art classes, and the local library may be a great place to look for writing programs. If you're looking for vocal or music lessons, try your local music store — they can often recommend the best local music teachers.

Do you have an after-school activity you can't live without? Send us an e-mail about it, and you may be featured on Get A Life!