Abstract xtracurricular activities are found in all levels of our schools in many different forms. They can be sports, clubs, debate, drama, school publications, student council, and other social events. A student’s future can be determined in the things that they do in the hours after school and before their parents get home. This paper describes the role of extracurricular activities and the positive effects that they can have on students of all kinds ranging from the above average student to the student that is on the brink of dropping out of school. Keywords: afterschool activities, athletics, extracurricular activities, goals of education, school activities, school clubs, United States Department of Education (USDE), Grade Point Average (GPA) The Positive Effects of Extracurricular Activities on Students Extracurricular activities are activities that students participate in that do not fall into the realm of normal curriculum of schools. They are found in all levels of our schools. There are many forms of extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, governance, student newspaper, music, art, and drama. Extracurricular activities are totally voluntary so students that do not want to participate in them do not have to. Lunnenburg states in his article that “Extracurricular activities serve the same goals and functions as the required and elective courses in the curriculum. However, they provide experiences that are not included in formal courses of study. They allow students to apply the knowledge that they have learned in other classes and acquire concepts of democratic life.”(2010, 2) Extracurricular activities have many positive effects on education. The positive effects that extracurricular activities have on students are behavior, better grades, school completion, positive aspects to become successful adults, and a social aspect. Extracurricular activities began in the United States in the 19th century. At first they were just an additional part to the normal academic schedule for the year. Extracurricular activities usually had some practical or vocational interest that was included into the activities. The first extracurricular activities that were well known in schools started at Harvard and Yale University. They were literacy clubs that consisted of different debate clubs and Greek systems such as fraternities and sororities. Students in American schools were the