College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Term of Award

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

College of Education

Committee Chair

Carl Sorgen

Committee Member 1

Antonio P. Gutierrez de Blume

Committee Member 2

Torri Jackson

Abstract

This quantitative study investigates the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and academic achievement among high school students, as measured by Grade Point Average (GPA). This study uses a cross-sectional research design to analyze GPA data from Greenbrier High School in Evans, Georgia. Greenbrier is a part of the Columbia County School District and serves approximately 2,000 students. Historical data were collected from 2024-2025 school records and analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA to compare the impact of ECAs on academic achievement. The study analyzed differences in academic performance based on (a) participation versus non‑participation in ECAs, (b) the type of ECA (athletics, fine arts, or academic clubs), and (c) the number of ECAs in which students engaged, with each analysis also disaggregated by gender. Results showed that students who participated in at least one extracurricular activity earned significantly higher GPAs than non‑participants, with a medium effect size and consistent findings for both males and females. Comparisons across activity types indicated no statistically significant differences in GPA, although club participants demonstrated slightly higher achievement than athletics participants; effect sizes across all groups were small. Analysis of participation frequency revealed a positive association between the number of ECAs and GPA, with students involved in one or more activities outperforming peers who did not participate in any. Students participating in three or more activities had the highest GPAs, though differences between the one‑to‑two‑activity group and the three‑or‑more group did not reach statistical significance. Gender did not meaningfully modify these patterns. Overall, the findings demonstrate that extracurricular involvement, regardless of type or gender, is positively associated with higher academic achievement. These results highlight the potential academic value of promoting extracurricular engagement and provide a data‑informed foundation for school leaders seeking to enhance student outcomes through broader participation opportunities.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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