Latinos and Organized Activities

Latinos are expected to account for 25% of the youth population (those under 18 years) in the United States by 2050. Because Latino youth often face significant challenges, such as discrimination and adapting to a different culture, they are at increased risk for academic failure and drug use. Fortunately, participation in high-quality organized after-school activities has been linked with promoting academic achievement, ethnic identity, and self-esteem. The term organized activities specifically refers to a range of adult-sponsored activities that are designed to facilitate young people’s development and typically occur outside of the regular school curriculum. These activities include school-based extracurricular activities (e.g., sports and school clubs) and community-based youth programs such as the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club. This entry reviews the research on ...