My sister owns some property in the mountains of West Virginia, where our family enjoys spending time camping.  Some long-ago owner must have maintained an apple orchard, because there are many apple trees on the property that have become overgrown over time.  Some are still producing very small apples—golf ball sized ones are the largest.  We have decided to try and bring back some of the trees to see if they will produce apples we could eat or use for baking.  With that goal in mind, we spend a bit of our time there each camping trip pruning a few of the trees and hammering fruit tree fertilizer spikes into the ground.

As I was pruning branches the last time we did this, the thought occurred to me that what I was doing is a lot like trying to change school traditions that have become stale. Homecoming, for example, often becomes like the overgrown apple trees. You add new activities now and then, but never seem to get rid of any old ones until it becomes an overgrown collection of activities—a parade, pep rally, bonfire, mum slae, lollygram sale, selection of royalty, dress-up days, dance, hall decorations, spirit competitions, halftime show, coronation, and on and on—like the branches of the tree. Some are strong and healthy, while others don't seem to be able to draw enough energy to sustain themselves. Eventually the effort involved in trying to maintain all those branches keeps the tree from bearing much fruit.

If the fruits of your labors this fall don't seem worth all the effort and energy that goes into them, perhaps it's time to try a bit of pruning. Is attendance down at your dance?  Are fewer people participating in dress-up days?  Is spirit lacking at the pep rally? Is there a lackluster crowd for the parade through town?  Rather than continuing to do the same ol' thing just because it's always been done that way, consider pruning away some of the deadwood and fertilizing the areas that will bear most fruit. Take the time to discuss as a group where the problem areas are and what areas seem most promising. Decide to focus your energy into a few "branches" and watch the activities grow strong again.

In the spirit of Earth Day...

If one person’s trash is another’s treasure, then repurposing your unwanted items is a great way to turn trash into treasure. Perhaps your organization could organize a project to take some of the following unwanted items and put them to better use.
CDs, Tapes, and Records. With more and more people using MP3 players, many homes have stacks of old CDs, tapes, and records just sitting around. Look for local used music shops that might buy old music from you or accept it as a donation. Or, see if the local library might be interested.
DVDs and Videos. Got any movies sitting on a shelf that you’re not interested in watching again? Folks at a homeless shelter, abused women’s shelter, or Ronald McDonald House might enjoy watching them to while away some time. Conduct a drive to collect DVDs and videos and donate them to a local organization.
Office Equipment and Supplies. Old typewriters, filing cabinets, and office furniture that’s no longer needed could find a new home in a local agency or nonprofit organization that is strapped for funding. Contact your favorite service or charity organization to ask about donating.
Books and Magazines. Check with a local senior citizens center or other facility to see if residents would be interested in having you collect paperback books and magazines. Or, collect gently used children’s books for a children’s center or homeless shelter for families.
Toys and Games. Kids inevitably outgrow toys and games, so why not collect them to donate to needy children in your community? Work with a local family services agency to figure out how to distribute them to families in need.
Clothing. Used clothing can be donated to local agencies that support disadvantaged families. Check with them first to see if they have specific needs, such as a socks and sweaters. Remember to tie or pin together items that go together such as shoes, socks, and belts, and be sensitive to the limited storage space many of these agencies have by collecting clothing that is appropriate to the season. Another outlet for old clothing is a theater company that can use vintage clothing for costumes.
Shoes. Worn-out sneakers of any brand can be turned into brand new playgrounds, running tracks, basketball and tennis courts, gym floors, soccer and football fields—all kinds of sports surfaces—through Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe Program. Visit https://www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe/ for more info on how to participate.
Computers. With faster and more powerful computers constantly being developed, many people opt to replace their computers regularly. Yet according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Plug in to eCycling program (www.epa.gov/ecycling/faq.htm), only 15% to 20% percent of retired personal computers, TVs, cell phones, and other electronic devices are being recycled in the United States (latest statistics are from 2005). Check out TechSoup (www.techsoup.org) for information on how and where to recycle computers.

While in middle school or high school, most of us don’t think about where our interest in writing, or chemistry, or fashion—or whatever—will lead us. We just like what we like and learn more about it. But if you ask any adult in your life how they ended up in the career they have, their answers will likely fall into one of two categories. Either they pursued an interest they had when they were younger or they didn’t really know what they wanted to do, so they took a job that was available or that sounded good at the time, and one thing lead to another.

This tendency of one thing leading to another is one reason why educators should strive to get students involved in activities, whether it’s a club that appeals to a special interest, a sport, student government, or whatever. Every time students gain experience in something, it opens up new opportunities and helps them gain new knowledge and skills. They take that experience into other opportunities, and, as Robert Frost eloquently put it, “way leads on to way.” The activities students are involved in now might just lead them down a path to a satisfying career.

For me, the link between activities and career is obvious—I was very active in student council and newspaper staff in high school, and today my journalism experience and devotion to student leadership development are directly related to my early interests.  Not everyone has such a direct link from current careers to their early involvement in activities, but I would be willing to wager that skills that were learned, talents that were developed, and confidence that was gained in student activities all influenced the career path you took.  We often find as adults that the activities of our youth have brought us full circle.  For that reason alone, the importance of student activities in the lives of students cannot be overlooked.
 

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