<p> Historically, after-school extracurricular programs can be linked to success in student achievement as well as increased school attendance and giving students “safe after-school environments” (National Center for Education Statistics, 1995). This causal comparative study investigated student achievement as measured by students’ grade point average, the number of extracurricular activities the student is involved in, the income status of the student, attendance, as well as gender and grit that the student possesses. The sample included 110 high school seniors, 47% males and 53% females, from the graduating class of 2017 from four rural communities in the Midwest. Participants completed the Grit Scale by Duckworth et al. (2007), which measures an individual’s perseverance and passion to continue on to complete one’s goals. Analysis of the data centered on the significant interaction effect between grade point average and extracurricular activities as moderated by gender, income, attendance, and perception of grit. The researcher also ran an analysis to see if there was a correlation between grade point average and grit. Results indicated a significant interaction effect between grade point average and extracurricular activities as moderated by income. Results also uncovered a significant interaction effect between grade point average and extracurricular activities as moderated by attendance. Results also showed a significant interaction effect between grade point average and extracurricular activities as moderated by perception of grit. Although there was no significant interaction effect between grade point average and extracurricular activities as moderated by gender, the researcher wanted to validate the research due to the fact this study was happening in a rural community with fewer students involved. There also was a positive correlation when examining grade point average and the score of grit. Future researchers should focus on whether or not the student feels supported. Another focus would be to investigate if students work during the school year and the number of hours that they work during the school week. Co-curricular versus extracurricular activities also need to be explored further within the context of whether they make a difference in a student’s grade point average.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10636643 |
| Date | 28 March 2018 |
| Creators | Mandrell, Kelly |
| Publisher | Aurora University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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