Published October 28, 2025
The evidence is clear and emphatic: Adolescents who engage in school activities benefit in so many important ways, including:
- Improved academic outcomes
- Higher attendance rates
- Enhanced sense of belonging
- Development of positive life skills
- Healthier behaviors in general
- Positive results and experiences after graduation
District 214 schools have long offered a wide range of co-curricular activities designed to appeal to virtually every student. Recognizing, however, that there’s always room to grow and new ways to spark student engagement, District 214 has selected student leaders from each school to work with a program called ENVOLVE.
Founder Scott Backovich says he launched Envolve with a single goal: “to help schools engage every student on campus through incredible activities.” He recently led District 214 student leaders through a day-long series of activities at Forest View Educational Center. High energy, collaboration and brainstorming marked the day as students paired off and worked in small groups under Backovich’s direction.
Frank Mirandola, Prospect High School’s Associate Principal for Activities and Operations, describes Evolve as “a renowned culture-building program designed to strategically foster belonging and spark inclusion by uncovering what inspires people to take action.”
Prospect High School junior River Newsted, now in his second year of Envolve training, said the work has refined his understanding of how to design efforts that appeal to a wider range of students.
River also appreciated the value of bringing together student leaders from all District 214 schools, fostering collaboration and allowing students to share successful activities with people with different perspectives and experiences. “You can share your ideas; they share theirs and activities with us. We know the issues and strengths of our own schools, but this opens us up to other ideas,” he said.
One takeaway from Envolve training, River said, is thinking outside the box to reach students who otherwise might not engage. “How do we include all types of people, not just the extroverted kid who already wants to go to every school event?” That, he said, might mean increased flexibility both the kind of events offered and when they’re staged. If traditional Homecoming Week activities aren’t for everyone, why not appeal to smaller groups of students with video game opportunities? Or mini golf? Or inviting students to bring a mug to school, to be filled with hot chocolate, creating a homey, comfy atmosphere? Why not designate a sweatpants or hoodie day, so that students who aren’t into spirit wear still feel included? At Prospect, River and other students last year organized a schoolwide pickleball tournament that attracted more than 100 students. That kind of success – seeing their ideas become a reality that creates joy and a sense of belonging for so many students – motivates student leaders to try other new ideas, River said.
The recent Envolve training, Mirandola said, supports these efforts. “Our student leaders,” he said, “dove deep into how to lead meaningful change and build layered activity experiences that ensure every student—no matter their level of involvement—can see themselves reflected and represented in our school culture.”
Which aligns perfectly with Envolve’s intent. “Every student deserves a campus community that they’re proud to call home,” Backovich says. “Our goal is to make that a reality for everyone.
