Teens and Extracurricular Activities

        As a high school student and track athlete, I believe that allowing our children to participate in extracurricular activities is very important. They can benefit a teen in so many ways. For instance, if it is a sport, a teenager will not only benefit physically, but also mentally. They will learn how to push themselves mentally, to build more self-motivation and confidence. They would also become more active, which is rare for teens nowadays due to the overuse of technology, therefore making them healthier as well. However, if it is a club, teens could generally benefit mentally because most clubs are educational. Thus, they will be learning new techniques, ideas, or even new topics that they don’t have the opportunity to learn in their classes. In fact, extracurricular activities could even aid a teen’s social life. They would meet new people, making new friends. This could affect a teen in many different, but positive ways, in which would make them happier. Overall, teens should be included in after school events because it could affect their whole high school experience in general.

        I used Zinsser’s advice on mood changers, the proper use of “which”, and his advice on sexism. For the mood changers, I made sure to use “however” at the beginning of my sentence to inform the reader of a mood change right away. Though towards the end of my paragraph, I used the proper form of “which” to further express the affect after school activities on a teen’s overall attitude. Furthermore, instead of using “he” or “she” in place for the sex of a teen, I used “them” to avoid the sexism issue that Zinsser had discussed. In all, I followed Zinsser’s advice on mood changers, the use of “which”, and the issue of sexism to persuade my audience further.