As the school year progresses, students’ schedules are becoming bombarded with their involvement in an immense amount of new clubs, along with their current enrollment in AP classes. Consequently, prioritizing time has become a major concern for students who completely immerse themselves into all Downey High has to offer.

Julia Sanchez, 11, is currently enrolled into four honors and AP courses while attempting to juggle her club involvement as treasurer of KIWIN’S and softball into her hectic schedule.

“The most challenging part of it is making sacrifices,” Sanchez said, “but it’s worth it in the end.”

Since students are expected to complete their heavy workload within a specific time frame, they learned to manage their time accordingly in order to suffice their instructors’ deadlines.

Marcia Gonzalez, 11, a member of Downey High’s marching band, effectively manages her time between lengthy practices and studying for all of the AP courses she is enrolled in.

“They helped me shape the kind of life I want,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a lot of hard work and it takes a lot of dedication.”

Learning methods of time management and getting involved in school on a more below-surface level is not the only benefit of extracurricular activities. Programs, such as sports and clubs, serve as a way for students to meet others who share the same interests and passions as themselves.

Member of the marching band for three years, Vanessa Rosario, 11, met a numerous amount of people through Downey High’s band program.

“Band helped me make new friends,” Rosario said. “I learned how to develop my public speaking and social skills”

Besides academics, extracurriculars allow students to get more involved in school through participating in a multitude of clubs and joining a sports team. Even though extracurricular activities serve as a positive outlet, some busy students have to limit their involvement in order to create time to study.