What Adolescents Learn in Organized Youth Activities: A Survey of Self-Reported Developmental Experiences

Extracurricular activities and youth programs can be valuable contexts for positive youth development. Perceived opportunities for development were compared across extracurricular activities, school classes, and time with friends among high school students in a small Midwestern city. Youth may have more opportunities for positive development during extracurricular activities than during time in school or with friends, and different extracurricular activities may provide different developmental benefits.