Sports, clubs, co-curriculars- the list goes on, and so do the valuable experiences you can gain by participating in them.

Students all around SHS have been getting involved and feeling all the positive effects that come with this.

One senior, Brandon Carreon, is a prime example of why it’s never too late to still reap the benefits of school activities.

During Carreon’s freshman year, he was a multi-sport athlete. Carreon has shifted into being involved with Riley Dance Marathon, Key Club, dance team and The Anchor. He says this transition has helped him make new and different connections.

“This year is my last year, and I’m trying to make an impact right before I leave,” Carreon said.

Due to his involvement in new activities, Carreon has had to re-adjust to how he manages his time. He says that he has been tackling his workload by completing what needs to be done as soon as he can.

“You have to be able to manage your time and organize it wisely,” Carreon said.

Senior Grayson Meece, is another highly involved student at SHS. He is in all things theater, an RDM Director and is a new member of the cheer team.

Despite the setback of feeling overwhelmed every now and then, he loves being involved in school activities. He encourages people to try new things out, just as he has. Being on the cheer team is a new experience for him. Though it’s an unfamiliar prospect, he’s coming at it with an optimistic point of view.

“Try something new, it may seem scary at first,” Meece said. “But then it will get better, everything gets better.”

Another student feeling the positive effects of school involvement is sophomore Rose Par. Par is the sophomore class president, an RDM director, in Key Club and she is a member of Green Earth Society. School involvement is a new concept for Par, as she had struggles that prevented her from participating in middle school.

“In general, my mental health was really bad,” Par said. “I didn’t even do my school work, let alone extracurriculars.”

But, with high school she became more involved and found her place. Par said that student council is where she has spent the majority of her time in extracurricular activities. She has grown her social skills, speaking skills and her confidence.

“Without extracurriculars, school is just a place,” Par said. “But, it’s also a place to (find) what you’re passionate in.”