National High School Activities Month Celebration to Promote Values, Benefits of Activity Programs

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 26, 2022) — The annual month-long celebration of high school athletics and activities – National High School Activities Month – begins at the onset of October for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and its 51 state high school associations. During this special time, the more than 19,500 high schools nationwide are encouraged to promote the values inherent in high school athletics and other activities such as speech, debate, music and theatre.

Throughout October, the celebration emphasizes essential areas of high school activity programs with the following weeks: National Sportsmanship, Fan Appreciation and Public-Address Announcers Week (October 1-8); National Performing Arts Activities and Local State High School Associations Week (October 9-15); National Coaches, Advisors, Officials, and Sponsors Week (October 16-22); and National Community Service/Youth Awareness Week (October 23-31).

“High school sports and activity programs provide one of the best bargains in our community and nation and will continue to do so as long as our nation supports them as an integral part of the education of our young people,” said NFHS CEO Dr. Karissa Niehoff. “Not only do these programs teach the more than 12 million student participants who engage in them valuable life skills lessons, such as ethics, integrity and healthy lifestyles, they also provide the best entertainment value in our nation.”

National High School Activities Month serves as an opportunity to remind the public that already in place in every community is a comprehensive program addressing society’s most current concerns, by:

• Finding and nurturing the best effort of each young participant;
• Encouraging students to stay in school, perform better academically and become better citizens;
• Demanding respect for fair play and appreciation for the equitable application of procedures, rules and regulations;
• Providing healthy lifestyle instruction;
• Challenging racism, sexism and classism through the active pursuit of teamwork and school spirit;
• Honoring and appreciating the adults who support, sponsor activities and recognize the students’ accomplishments.

In 1980, the NFHS created National High School Activities Week to increase the public’s awareness of the values and needs of education-based activity programs. However, there was a need to celebrate the contributions and benefits young people experience by participation in sports and performing arts for an entire month. 

To encompass all that education-based activities has to offer, Activities Week was expanded to Activities Month in 2012 on the recommendation of the NFHS Citizenship and Equity Committee (now known as the NFHS Student Services Committee). The transformation provided adequate time to properly celebrate the contributions and benefits students experience by participating in sports and performing arts.

“National High School Activities Week was given life in 1980 when the United States Congress approved the third week in October as National High School Activities Week,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports, sanctioning and student services. “What a young person learns after the school day is as important as what they get out of the daily academic curriculum.”

There are many ways to celebrate each week of National High School Activities Month. As part of National Sportsmanship, Fan Appreciation and Public-Address Announcers Week (October 1-8), participants are encouraged to spread awareness and discussion about the importance of sportsmanship, ethics and integrity to the conduct of interscholastic programs, and a time to thank the spectators who support activity programs throughout the year. In addition, it is a time to acknowledge the dedication and service that public-address announcers perform at every contest.

National Performing Arts Activities and Local State High School Associations Week(October 9-15) is a time to focus on the students, coaches and sponsors involved in performing arts programs and the local state activity/athletic associations who sponsor these events.

The purpose of National Coaches, Advisors, Officials and Sponsors Week (October 16-22) is to recognize the contributions of high school coaches, advisors, officials and sponsors.

National Community Service/Youth Awareness Week (October 23-31) serves as a time to give back to your community and show your appreciation for their support of your programs. This week also can be used to promote fund-raising efforts that support interscholastic programs. In addition, this is a perfect opportunity to promote healthy lifestyles and prevention efforts.

During “National Sportsmanship, Fan Appreciation and Public-Address Announcers Week,” the purpose is to encourage awareness and discussion about the importance of sportsmanship, ethics and integrity to the conduct of interscholastic programs, and a time to thank the spectators who support activity programs throughout the year. In addition, it is a time to acknowledge the dedication and service that public-address announcers perform every contest.
“Through National High School Activities Month, we have an opportunity to reflect on our participation as well as the participation of our students,” Niehoff said. “Our nation must continue to support these programs and the life skills they provide America’s youth.”

Recommendations for promoting National High School Activities Month were made available by the NFHS, in addition to a toolkit with a wealth of resources to assist state associations and high schools throughout the month. The toolkit contains print ads, website banner ads, email signature and public-service announcements (PSAs), all of which were created to simplify the process of promoting this annual celebration. 

To learn more about National High School Activities Month to download its corresponding toolkit, visit www.nfhs.org/HSActivitiesMonth.