The Structuring of Extracurricular Opportunities and Latino Student Retention

Abstract This study examines extracurricular participation of Latino students in an inner-city high school. Multiple, intensive interviews with 33 participants, along with ethnographic observation, school records, students' transcripts, school reports, yearbooks, and other school documents were used in the research. My findings suggest that there is a strong connection between high school retention and extracurricular participation. The students who stayed in school and graduated had extracurricular participation rates much higher than students who ended up dropping out. I found that this was not due to lack of interest from non-participants but to the way extracurricular opportunities were structured. The school's formal and informal requirements for participation such as limited funds, school size, participation criteria, and access to extracurricular activities made joining the programs difficult for many students, especially those at-risk of dropping out.