Topics in the Area of Children and Youth
rights and activism. The organization also funds school, classroom, and district level civic engagement projects. It is a very popular resource for teachers all across the United States. Extracurricular Activities and Youth Development Arts education and extracurricular activities such as sports, band, student council have long been an impor - tant aspect of a youth’s experience in the United States. Research has demonstrated that participation in extra - curricular activities makes the attitudes of youth more favorable towards especially school because of the inter - personal bonds that they develop with peers and adults – these extracurricular activities play a positive role in the self-esteem of young people. Additionally, youth par - ticipation in extracurricular activities has shown to have positive effects on their academic outcomes and fosters motivation for academic success and self-efficacy. It is very common for youth to participate in these types of activities after school. These activities can range from sports such as baseball, soccer, American football, vol - leyball, track and field, and other sports, to performing arts such as band and theatre, to more academically-fo - cused activities such as student council, newspaper, ye - arbook club, debate, and model United Nations. Additi - onally, young people may also participate in these kinds of activities in local organizations in their neighborhood.
For example, some neighborhoods or regions have re - creational leagues for sports where students from seve - ral different schools may join teams. Additionally, youth can participate in after-school programing at YMCAs, as well as more localized non-profit organization centers. YMCA In the United States, there are many Young Men’s Christi - an Associations (YMCAs, or Ys) that work with young peo - ple and have youth development programming. In total, there are 2,700 separate YMCA organizations and 10,000 branches that receive substantial financial support via charitable donations. The programming of YMCAs can vary depending on the local chapter but many have early childhood learning programming and childcare, leader - ship and academic enrichment programs, and sports and recreational programs for young people. These or - ganizations are considered very important community centers throughout the United States and have been pi - votal in providing meals and other social services during difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America works with youth ages five to twenty-one. The mission of the organization is to de - velop character, citizenship, personal fitness, and lea - dership. There are seven ranks that youth work up to through participating in community service and outdoor activities. The Girl Scouts of America is for youth ages
30
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