2006 National High School Activities Week

For the 27th consecutive year, the NFHS will sponsor National High School Activities Week, a weeklong celebration of high school activities. Student participants, coaches, sponsors, officials and fans will be recognized for their efforts in young people's lives.

Continuing a long-standing tradition, the annual weeklong observance and appreciation of high school activities will take place from October 15 to 21 in high schools across the country. During National High School Activities Week, interscholastic athletics and activities take center stage with a week's worth of themed days in observance and appreciation of high school activities.

The NFHS created the week in 1980 to increase the public's awareness of the values of and need for interscholastic activity programs. Throughout the week, the nation's high schools are encouraged to promote the values inherent in high school athletics and other activities, such as speech, music, theatre, band and spirit squads.

"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," NFHS Executive Director Bob Kanaby said. "Our nation must continue to support these programs and the life skills they provide America's youth."

NFHS Director of Educational Services Elliot Hopkins believes the week gives schools a chance to acknowledge and thank a significant number of people who are involved in high school activities.
"It is an opportunity to see how many lives we touch in high school activities," Hopkins said. "Including fine arts, speech and debate, it's a lot of kids."

The NFHS produces a kit each year to help provide ideas for activities and programs.
"It is a great start, but schools make it work best for them," Hopkins said. "Some schools have been doing this for a long time."

Each day in the week is given a theme and ideas on what activities can be done on that day. The kits also includes testimonials from student-participants, teachers, coaches and administrators on the value of high school activities and "The Case for High School Activities," a document produced by the NFHS to show research and statistics of the importance of the activities.

Also included in the kits are ad slicks and public-service announcements for the school to use to promote the week.

The seven days of national celebration include Be a Sport Day, Fine Arts Activities Day, Officials Day, Youth Health Awareness Day, Coach-es/Sponsors/Advisors Day, Fan Appreciation Day and Community Service/Participation Day.

2006 Activities Week Ad Slicks

Background Information

Calendar

Activities Week Testimonials

A Case for High School Activities

Activities Week Public Service Announcements