“Get Involved!”: Is It Really Worth It?

A graphic of different activities (Lauren Chavez, The Puma Prensa)

Written By: Lauren Chavez, staff writer

Throughout high school, most students hear the “Get involved” sentiment from parents, teachers, and friends alike. As students transition from middle school to high school, most find that high school has opportunities to become involved with the school community and the high school experience. Whether this means joining sports and clubs or attending events such as dances, many first-year students may hear upper-level students reminding them to become rooted in the school environment as early as possible. As well as being involved with events and activities, most students are also told by numerous adults that gaining close relationships with their counselors early on in their high school journey will provide them with a backbone and essential resource as they pick classes, look at credits, and pave their path throughout high school. However, does involvement with the school make a significant difference in the traditional high school experience, or is it all just talk?

Senior Kyleiah Cantiberos said she was “minorly involved” with the school throughout her first three years at Carrillo, attending mostly only football games and dances. However, she added that during her junior year, she took photos for the Student Voice Assembly, which she described as “nice since it felt like [she was] a part of something and [she was] able to help out with such a big event.” Becoming involved with a big part of the atmosphere at Carrillo or helping to put on something that the whole school watches gives one a sense of pride and fulfillment. Cantiberos also mentioned that she didn’t talk to her counselor much, adding that she didn’t feel “in the know” about college going into her senior year. 

Senior Anneleise Larson told me she was “decently involved” with the school and attended most dances and sporting events. Expanding on this, Larson said the more involved you are with the school, “the more people you get to know and the more experiences you get to have.” She also added that she had been involved with her counselor and had benefited from speaking to him about college. She hadn’t known much about the process going into her senior year, and asking him questions helped her better understand college. 

These perspectives are that of seniors, so how do younger high school students feel about their involvement in their school thus far? Sophomore Sofia Fonseca told me that she had been “very involved with the school so far this year, in terms of sporting events and clubs,” but added that she had not done much freshman year. As for how this had affected her experience so far, she mentioned that being more involved with the school had allowed her to “learn from tons of different people,” and had positively affected her sophomore year so far. Fonseca expressed that she wished she had been more involved her freshman year, as she wanted to have “taken advantage of the perks of getting involved when new to the school.”

Aside from benefiting you in high school, involvement can continue contributing to your life after graduation. Finding a passion on your journey throughout high school will give you a sense of fulfillment and purpose as you navigate what are otherwise confusing and usually challenging years. 

Along with this, joining clubs and sports that may be outside of what you are generally comfortable with will surround you with different groups of people, which, aside from broadening your horizons and giving you new perspectives, will also prepare you for the future, where working with those you aren’t comfortable with is unavoidable.  Knowing where and what you want to do starting early in high school will help you delve deeper into your passions, pave your way to your goals, and have the resources to get you where you want to go.

At Carrillo in particular, there are over fifty clubs offered for the student body to get involved in, as well as many smaller opportunities, yet still beneficial and worthwhile, such as Jeff Hitchcock’s Junior State of America (JSA) and Academic WorldQuest. Learning more about these opportunities and figuring out how to become a part of them is a great way to become more involved, especially since a lot of students don’t know they exist. 

While it may become annoying to hear “Get involved!” over and over and over again by people in your life, it is excellent advice as it will lead you to many great experiences and people that may potentially change your life entirely or lead you on a path you never thought you would be interested in. Even if it may seem embarrassing or not worthwhile to be involved, just joining a few low-effort clubs or trying out a sports team could lead to meaningful connections and experiences unique to high school.