Children's activities related to science, nature, and technology were studied via structured interviews of parents and students in pre-school through upper-elementary grades. Interviews can be used to construct profiles of students to be used as a platform upon which to build instruction. Describes how interviews were developed, what type of…

Examines and describes the differences between transfer students (N=12) who engage in extracurricular activities and those transfer students who are not involved. Focuses on differences in motivation, in satisfaction, and in feeling a sense of connection to the institution. Motivation marked the biggest difference between involved and uninvolved…

Highlights a school which systematically tries to cater to all pupil's needs, including the very able students. Describes the program's structure, the faculty of the school, the student population, and the instructional and extracurricular programming in the elementary, middle school and high school grades. (Author/CR)

Studied the relationship between performance of challenging out-of-school activities and real-world talent in art, drama, social leadership, and dance in four separate studies of high school students (total n=222) in grades 9 through 12. The strong relationship between predictor and criterion in each of the four domains demonstrated the concurrent…

Describes development of an outdoor club at a special elementary school for deaf children. Addresses starting the hiking club, obtaining financial support, and recruiting adult volunteers. Student participants develop an appreciation of the environment while experiencing teamwork, competence, responsibility, companionship, and freedom. (DB)

Campus activities programmers are offered suggestions to make the budgeting process clearer. They include knowing funding sources, understanding distribution of funds, monitoring encumbered funds, developing a system to keep track of how funds are spent, avoiding overspending and handling re-appropriations, setting aside reserves, and asking for…

Twenty ideas for reducing program costs are offered to campus activities programmers. They include using technology wisely, avoiding excess outlay of funds, trading for services, seeking donations and sponsors, co-sponsoring events, buying supplies in bulk, requesting discounts, avoiding unnecessary sales taxes, using telephone services…

In "Smith" the California Supreme Court ruled that the University must provide a partial refund to students objecting to fees used for activities supporting a single political or ideological viewpoint. Surveys prior case law on student fees, agency fees, and integrated bar dues. Discusses "Smith's" impact and contends it should…

Discusses why some school boards are raising academic eligibility requirements for student athletes, and the divisive effects created in some communities. (LMI)

Examines effects of school pressure on Japanese adolescents, focusing on cram schools ("juku") and extracurricular activities. Finds that adolescents experience negative emotional states in these activities. Adolescents have little residual free time, mostly spent in passive, recuperative activities, providing few opportunities for…

Used longitudinal data for 330 10th graders to study associations among self-esteem, family challenge, and high school grades and extracurricular involvement. Results show correlation of family challenge and self-esteem. Controlling on self-esteem found family challenge positively associated with grades and marginally associated with…

A survey of 159 non-applicants to the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science indicates that students were confident in their ability to meet admission requirements. However, students were unwilling to leave home 2 years earlier than usual and reluctant to abandon a variety of athletic and associated extracurricular activities. Recruitment…

To reverse the decline in volunteerism in education, administrators must understand the difference between true volunteering and participation coerced under the guise of volunteering. Appreciation is essential for promoting volunteerism, for no one wishes to be considered without value. But if coercion and exploitation are part of the growing…

Examined the association between school connectedness and school environment, identifying ways to increase student connectedness. Data from the in-school and school administrator surveys of the National Study of Adolescent Health indicated that positive classroom management climates, participation in extracurricular activities, tolerant…

Analysis of 2001 United States Supreme Court decision in "Earls v. Board of Education of Tecumseh Public Schools," upholding random drug testing for students participating in extracurricular activities. Discusses implications for school policy and practice. (Contains 15 references.) (PKP)