A Better Transition

Weir recalls the oft-told horror stories fifth and eighth graders hear about middle or high school. “You don’t know that it isn’t true and that you’re going to meet your best friends in these places,” she says. “It’s important to have these programs because we want them to feel like a Bobcat the second they leave fifth grade” … Or Falcon, Tiger or Trojan.

Equally as important to the transition programs are the wealth of extracurricular activities Boulder County schools offer. Mallory Pett, counselor at Longmont Estates Elementary School, explains that these school transitions “can be extremely stressful for kids, so an extracurricular can be great to relieve the stress and nerves from being in a new place.”

To that end, major transitions go hand in hand with anxiety, making risky behavior a likely result. Pett explains that bullying peaks after transition years because of the corresponding tension and insecurity. “Students who bully might be the ones who feel more isolated and less motivated,” she says.

In her own research, Jaana Juvonen, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, also finds this to be the case. Juvonen notices that as children move into a new social environment during transition years, their sense of where they fit in falters. She says this absence of “rank” can lead some students to take matters into their own hands, and establish a dominance hierarchy. To avoid this outcome, it’s important for new students to get involved in an activity or club right away. Developing a positive connection with the school lowers the chance for negative behavior.

Beyond being an antidote to bullying, extracurriculars provide far more than the activity they’re centered around. “They’re also good in the sense that students find people with common interests,” remarks Pett, “and even faculty members who can be more like a mentor or coach—people they can go to with problems or worries.” Developing support systems like this have long term benefits. For instance, distraught students know they have a source of comfort and help to rely on.

School transition programs similarly offer mentorship and encouragement for new students, but extracurriculars can provide benefits that are even more comprehensive. “If a student can find something that they’re interested in or excited about, that will raise their self esteem,” explains Pett. “If they find a club or sport or instrument that they’re good at and that they enjoy, it can help them feel better about themselves and feel more worthwhile.”

Extracurriculars are distinct from those of leisure in that, beyond requiring effort, they give students a forum to express themselves and to grow. A study conducted by the Association for Middle Level Education, found that because involving new students in extracurricular activities enhances their connectedness with school, it leads to positive outcomes in how they identify themselves socially and academically. In short, it makes kids feel better about themselves overall. These psychological benefits of extracurriculars, Pett says, help students find confidence at times when they might be struggling somewhere else—such as in the classroom. It relates back to Albert Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy.

According to Bandura, self-efficacy is how much belief people have in their ability to succeed. This plays an important role in how a person approaches challenges and goals in her or his life. Part of this concept is known as “mastery experiences”—successfully performing a task or handling a situation which strengthens efficiency. Pett says these interests increase a student’s self-efficacy “by giving them new experiences where they develop mastery over something or specialized knowledge in an area, so that in the future they’re like ‘Oh, I can do that—I know about that!’” The idea being that if students feel fulfilled by their role in the outdoor club or jazz band, the excitement and dedication inspired there spills over into the classroom and academic work. As Pett aptly puts it: “These programs just promote success in all areas.”

Success is what Boulder County strives to give their sixth and ninth graders. Moving to a new school is an exciting time, but also a critical one. The transition poses a threat to students’ self-confidence, school attendance, and making friends. But implementing programs like Link Crew and the 360 program and encouraging extracurricular participation changes the experience new students have. In turn, middle and high schools aren’t just changing their reputation, but more importantly they help cultivate all-around healthier kids.

Elizabeth Escobar writes for SneakPEAK Vail magazine and can be reached at [email protected].