High school afterschool programs across Texas include a very wide range of activities. From Folklore at Hidalgo ISD to Roping in Lubbock-Cooper, kids are enjoying unique and enriching activities all over our state. The activities that appear to attract the largest numbers of high school students include those that allow for physical activity, a lot of socialization, real life experiences, and that are all-around fun! Let’s take a look at some of the great activities going on across the state:

“Design My Ride” at Haskell ISD
During “Power Hour”, a regular activity at Haskell ISD, students design their own academic activities. Recently a group of high school boys began using “Power Hour” to work on a project they call “Design My Ride”.  They are working with one of their community’s local mechanics to build a 4 wheel truck and are learning everything that has to do with designing and building an automobile from start to finish. This activity is highly relevant to the participants, including some who hope to become  mechanics themselves. They are learning real life skills while reinforcing their math and science academic skills.

Bowling at Atlanta High School in Atlanta ISD
Getting the chance to go bowling at the local bowling alley in Atlanta is a big treat for the Atlanta High School kids. Prior to being admitted into the bowling group, kids have to pass a scoring test to make sure they know the rules and scoring procedures of the game. When out in the bowling alley, students engage in a physical activity that reinforces their math skills and allows them a chance to have fun with their friends. 

“Saffel Bucks” at Atlanta High School in Atlanta ISD
Saffel Bucks is a unique before school activity. Twice a week kids join their teacher, Mr. Saffel, for coffee, snacks and a discussion of current events. This activity helps kids become informed about worldwide events  and educates them about politics and international affairs. In spite of its early meeting time, many kids love this activity, and it is highly attended.

“Peacemakers” at Travis High School in Austin ISD
Peacemakers is a student group that meets regularly to build a stronger community through school improvement projects. They also are involved in planning special events for the Travis afterschool program. Recently, Peacemakers conducted an alcoholism awareness campaign. They researched the issue, made banners with facts, and placed an “X” on a number of the students to illustrated the number of students killed by drunk driving. 

Cooking at Fort Worth ISD
We all love to eat. That is why cooking is a successful activity all over Texas. At Fort Worth ISD,  a former Navy chef who is now the high school chef, teaches a successful cooking class. He is very enjoyable and outgoing and kids in his class have learned to make foods that are significant to them. They learn a lot about nutrition and get to enjoy a nice yummy meal when the lesson is completed.

Folklore at Hidalgo ISD
Folklore is a great cultural and physical activity that kids at Hidalgo ISD really enjoy. In this folklore group, kids concentrate on learning dances from different regional areas in Mexico. The kids learn to identify the music they dance to and what area of Mexico it comes from. They then put on performances throughout the year. Kids enjoy this activity because it gives them a great opportunity to socialize, move around, and because unlike during the school day, they are not being graded on their abilities. Folklore is a great way to teach kids social and physical skills while also teaching them about heritage, cultural expression, history, myths, legends, dance, and traditions. 

Music Lessons at Travis High School in Austin ISD
Travis High School students enjoy music lessons in which they learn to play the electric guitar, bass, drums, and piano. The advanced kids guide the beginners, and all kids are given a great chance to jam. This year the Travis program plans to introduce Latin percussion as well.

Poetry and Self-expression at Robstown ISD
Very often kids do not have safe opportunities to express their emotions. They may resort to cutting themselves or engaging in gang activities. At Robstown ISD kids have been given the opportunity to express themselves through a poetry and self-expression afterschool activity that includes paper and art. This enriching opportunity lets them practice language arts, find their creativity, and be safe at the same time.

Mariachi at Houston ISD
At Jefferson Davis High School in Houston ISD one of the most successful afterschool program activities is the Mariachi program. In this predominantly Hispanic area, activities that tap into culture are very popular. People from the community have come to the school to teach the children, and these kids are learning that becoming a mariachi is a potential career opportunity for them.

Video Editing at Southwest High School in Houston ISD
Afterschool program activities with multimedia opportunities are definitely of high interest to high school students. With technology increasingly a part of our everyday lives, being technology savvy is always a plus. At South West High School in Houston, kids enjoy a great video editing class. Recently the kids put together a successfully scary movie. They did everything including developing the script, acting out the scenes, filming, and editing the piece on the computer.