By Phil Johnsrud

MAHS Activities Director

Research supports that students who participate in extracurricular activities increase their academic performance and self-confidence. Research also reveals that these components and additional benefits, such as increased social opportunities and improved mental health, are essential. The bottom line is that although these benefits are significant and have a lifelong impact, the potential for personal growth through extracurricular activities is vast and can change someone’s life.  

Minnewaska Area High School offers more than 30 extracurricular options for our students. These include several team activities, ranging from football to robotics. Students can be part of Future Farmers of America or deliver a thought-provoking or comedic speech. They may have hand-eye coordination to spin a tennis ball or hit a golf ball in the perfect location. They can also master an instrument or have a voice that carries musical notes in collaboration with others. Minnewaska Area Activities offer our students opportunities in many areas to meet individual needs and strengths.

When deciding to participate in activities, it’s essential to consider the potential benefits to one’s future. Over my years as an educator and coach, I have witnessed countless success stories based on positive and even negative experiences. All these experiences led to the development of well-rounded individuals capable of navigating through some of the toughest of life challenges. The following details may reveal positive results that are not always considered when deciding to participate:

★Challenge yourself: Students will only know what they are capable of once they challenge themselves to do new things outside their comfort zone. It is incredible how a hidden ability can be discovered by putting oneself out there. Countless individuals have talents that have yet to be discovered. Allow Minnewaska Activities to inspire you to transform your abilities as a contributor to a team, as an individual, or as a group member. Our Laker coaches, directors, and advisors do a great job of leading and mentoring our youth for these types of discoveries.

Difficult Challenges or Failure: Not all challenges result in immediate success, and occasionally, failure on the field, court, pool, and stage doesn’t pay off until adulthood. However, these experiences can be invaluable life lessons guided by our Laker coaches and advisors. Our mentors understand that it’s not always easy to survive failure, but they’re present to guide and support all students. It takes a strong support bond between Laker families, parents, and student participants to master this process, but support from all will be beneficial for years to come.  

Life Lessons-Regrets: The best way to describe life lessons sometimes comes from personal experiences. I carry regret to this day of a high school experience that will forever be part of my message to young people today who question their participation on a team. I know that, occasionally, students save themselves for a different activity, so they choose to refrain from participating in an activity in which they have participated in the past. In my senior year, I made the decision not to play baseball. My previous year of baseball experience was on a successful team; however, my season-long hitting slump resulted in a lack of confidence, placing blame on my coach and ultimately putting myself ahead of my team.  Although my lack of personal success was due to actions of my own, I quit baseball my senior season. Instead of focusing on how I could help my team, I failed to challenge myself to improve. To this day, I think about that decision and the team I wasn’t part of. I lost the opportunity to be a teammate for no apparent, meaningful reason.

★ Leadership-Academic Achievement: Minnewaska students who choose to participate in activities typically perform well in the classroom, have limited behavioral breakdowns, and hold themselves accountable for their actions. Most notably, they develop fantastic leadership skills. This leadership translates to achieving a future occupation, being a responsible adult/parent, and being a positive community contributor. The Minnewaska community is emersed with former Laker graduates playing critical roles in our workforce, not to mention former Lakers making extraordinary contributions in Minnesota and nationwide as employees in countless professions. 

Lastly, Laker Activities allow students to be part of something special. This comes regardless of levels of success. Minnewaska Area Schools’ goal is to prepare our student participants to be as successful as possible and teach them life lessons for their future. It’s “The Laker Way”. Minnewaska Area Schools provide our students with many opportunities to set them up for life’s challenges and joys. We strive to provide the best experience possible, but sometimes we can improve. We consistently work to strengthen and avoid failure, but it’s inevitable that, occasionally, things don’t work out as planned. In that case, the Minnewaska Activities Department will collaborate to create change and move forward in a positive direction for all. 

Please join Minnewaska Laker Activities on our continued journey to develop our terrific young Lakers into outstanding students and exceptional adults by being involved.