Studies show that extracurricular and afterschool activities benefit middle schoolers! For middle schoolers, afterschool programs can teach them new skills, help them discover new interests, and help them succeed academically in the future.
“Middle school is an important yet vulnerable time for youth. Studies have shown that the middle grades are a critical period for identity formation and are central to students’ later academic trajectories, but students – especially low-income, urban youth – may experience declines in both grades and school attendance.”