School is not the only time children can learn these days.

Wednesday, August 25, 1999

School is not the only time children can learn these days. As important as academics are to a child’s future, after-school, out-of-school and other activities can make a difference in the person he or she will become.

And that, in turn, could help battle some of the violence and cynicism that have taken over our schools and our society in the 1990s.

So while lectures about homework and studying are important, parents also should focus on what their children do after school.

Joining Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Campfire, 4-H or a church youth group can give children a different way to look at the world – and exposure to people from all walks of life.

Extra-curriculars also offer a new dimension for a child – a chance to learn something new and to develop the social skills and character that will be so critical in the new millennium.

Perhaps a way to combat the violence and selfishness that plague schools these days is to spend more time with our children, not just within the family, but in the community as well.

Extra-curricular and community activities are our chance to do that.

That would be a way to help our schools, our children and our communities.