Developing Students’ Interests and Talents through Extracurricular Activities: A Case Study at SMP Negeri 8 Palangka Raya

Abstrak

This study is motivated by the importance of extracurricular activities as a medium for developing students’ interests, talents, creativity, and potential beyond intracurricular learning activities. At SMP Negeri 8 Palangka Raya, extracurricular activities serve as one of the school’s efforts to help students recognize their abilities, channel their interests, and develop social and personal skills. This study aims to describe the development of students’ interests and talents through extracurricular activities at SMP Negeri 8 Palangka Raya. This research employed a qualitative approach with a case study method. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. The findings indicate that the development of students’ interests and talents is carried out through compulsory and elective extracurricular activities, such as Scouting, religious activities, sports, arts, literacy, English, mathematics and natural sciences, the Youth Red Cross, school health activities, choir, dance, and other activities. These activities help students channel their interests, develop skills, build discipline, strengthen cooperation, and increase self-confidence. The findings also show that the success of extracurricular activities is influenced by school support, the role of supervisors, student participation, parental support, and the availability of facilities and infrastructure. The contribution of this study emphasizes that extracurricular activities need to be managed in a planned and sustainable manner so that they do not merely serve as additional activities, but become a strategic space for optimally developing students’ interests and talents.