Youth leadership fosters civic engagement, yet its academic implications remain understudied. This study examines how the responsibilities of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in District 2, Davao Oriental influence their academic performance, focusing on behavioral factors (time management, study habits), academic support (class scheduling, lecturer-student interaction), and social support (family and peers), while comparing students’ grades before and during SK service. A total of 203 SK officials, selected through stratified random sampling from a population of 970, completed a survey measuring academic performance using an ordinal GPA scale at two time points. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s rho correlation, ordinal logistic regression, and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. Results indicated that time management was weakly but significantly associated with GPA (ρ = –0.16, p = .02), while among academic and social support factors, only class scheduling and academic calendars approached significance (β = 0.31, p = .06). Comparative analysis revealed a significant decline in academic performance during SK service, particularly among high-achieving students (Z = –5.56, p < .001). These findings suggest that youth civic engagement may impose academic strain when institutional support is limited. The study highlights the importance of flexible academic policies, blended learning opportunities, and structured support systems to enable student-leaders to maintain academic success while fulfilling their community responsibilities.
Pusta et al. (Fri,) studied this question.