By Avital L., Eighth Grade Student, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
During these hard times, extracurricular activities are extremely important. After a year in quarantine, children need opportunities to become social and involved again in activities, such as clubs, sports, music, and art classes.
Sports is one way to get back in shape after spending a long time indoors. Dance, for example, requires a lot of athleticism and strength, and it plays a very important role in many people’s lives today. It is a creative form of expression that is fun and healthy for young bodies and minds.
Tamar G., an 8th grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation (KSDS), dances at the The Moving Company in Cockeysville for approximately two hours a day, three times a week. She has been dancing for seven years. During the height of the pandemic, The Moving Company closed its studio doors and offered classes on Zoom.
According to Tamar, dance is “a way to express what you feel in a non-verbal way.” Tamar loves to dance, even if it is tiring and sometimes cruel. “Every single ballet class I think this is brutal and so hard and I can’t do it, but it is the only way to learn, and sometimes you have to work hard to accomplish something amazing. I am not saying it’s easy, but it does pay off,” Tamar says.
Dancers do not have much of a choice regarding the choreography of their dances, especially at a younger age. However, according to Tamar, while dance is a disciplined sport, it can also be a relaxing activity. “It is so much fun to just feel the music and dance however you want,” she says. Some people prefer the more relaxed kind of dance that gives more opportunities to make it individualized, while others prefer a more disciplined sport.
Dance is a hard sport that requires a lot of strength. After coming back from dance, Tamar says, “My body just hurts a lot, and my muscles feel sore.” When asked why she continues to take these hard classes, Tamar responds, “When you know you are doing something right, you feel so accomplished.” Many dancers take challenging classes that can be painful to their muscles or their feet, but the feeling of accomplishment trumps the pain.
Another after school activity that has many benefits is soccer, a popular sport offered in schools, through local recs, and through various clubs. Ava P. and Leah M., both eighth grade students at KSDS, play soccer after school at KSDS where they practice Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 5:30pm. Both students enjoy soccer practice and the occasional soccer games.
According to Leah, having soccer practice after school is “relieving”. Running around outside can be refreshing for a tired mind after a long day of school. Sports are not only a great way to get exercise or de-stress, they also turn into fun, social activities after school. “On most days, I am super excited for practice. It is something I look forward to during the day,” Ava explains. Extracurricular activities turn into great motivations for students to get through the day.
Sports can teach children teamwork and the importance of good sportsmanship. “It is nice to be part of a team,”Leah says. According to Leah, soccer games require “a big team effort.”
After a long time in and out of quarantine, children are finally able to be part of teams and clubs again. Because they have been locked up for so long, it makes it even more important for children to take part in active and social activities again.
Avital L. is an eighth grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
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