Achievements turn a list of activities into proof. A hiring manager, a program or a college sees what you did, and also how well you did it and who it helped.
Below are 20 high school achievements for a resume, in five groups, each written with a real-sounding number. After them, use the free builder to create your own Selected Achievements list, then print it or copy it.
All examples are fictional. Choose only achievements that are true, replace the numbers with your own and never list a grade, award or hour count you did not earn.
20 High School Achievements for Your Resume
Quick jump: AcademicsLeadershipServiceSports and artsWork and STEM
Academic Achievements
Maintained a 3.9 GPA across 6 semesters while taking 4 advanced courses.
2. Honor roll
Earned honor roll recognition in 8 of 8 terms.
3. Standardized test scores
Scored in the 90th percentile on a standardized college admissions test.
4. Academic competitions
Placed first among 25 teams in a school science competition.
Leadership and Clubs
Served as president of the robotics club and led 18 members through a 12-week season.
6. Clubs involvement
Joined 3 school clubs and attended 95% of meetings over 2 years.
7. Debate awards
Won 4 speech and debate awards across 6 tournaments.
8. Membership in academic societies
Inducted into the school honor society, one of 40 students selected from a class of 300.
Service and Community
Completed 150 volunteer hours at a local library and youth center over 2 years.
10. Fundraising initiatives
Helped raise $3,500 for a charity drive with a team of 10 students.
11. Peer tutoring
Tutored 6 classmates in math each week, and 5 raised their grades by one letter.
12. Successful event coordination
Coordinated a school event for 250 guests with a team of 15 volunteers.
Sports, Arts and Media
13. Sports achievements
Played varsity soccer for 3 seasons and helped the team win 12 of 16 games.
14. Music accomplishments
Played first chair clarinet in the school band and performed in 8 concerts.
15. Art exhibitions
Displayed 5 art pieces in a school exhibit attended by about 200 visitors.
16. Yearbook contributions
Wrote 12 articles and edited 30 pages for the school yearbook.
Work, Skills and STEM
17. Internships
Completed a 6-week summer internship at a local business and organized 200 customer files.
18. Work experience
Worked 12 hours a week at a local shop and handled about 40 customers per shift.
19. Technology proficiency
Built a class website and taught 20 students to use spreadsheet software.
20. Science club participation
Presented a plant-growth experiment to 60 students at the science club fair.
Free High School Achievements Builder
Step 1. Which area is your strongest?
Step 2. What grade are you in?
Step 3. Tap extra achievements to add. Four to six bullets is plenty.
Step 4. Click any text in the list and type to make it yours.
Replace every number with your own true result, and delete any bullet you cannot explain in an interview. Never list a grade, award or hour count that is not true.
EMMA CARTER
Hometown High School, Columbus, OH | emma.carter@email.com | (555) 010-0752
Selected Achievements
- Maintained a 3.9 GPA across 6 semesters while taking 4 advanced courses.
- Ranked in the top 10% of a class of 300 students.
- Placed first among 25 teams in a school science competition.
- Served as president of the robotics club and led 18 members through a 12-week season.
- Organized 6 club meetings a semester with an average of 25 students attending.
- Recruited 10 new members in one semester, growing the club by 40%.
- Completed 120 volunteer hours at a community food pantry over 2 years.
- Worked 12 hours a week at a local shop and handled about 40 customers per shift.
- Served as a peer mentor for 8 new students during their first month of school.
- Joined 3 school clubs in the first year and attended 95% of meetings.
- Completed 40 volunteer hours during the first two years.
- Elected treasurer of the student council and managed a $2,000 budget.
- Completed a 6-week summer coding program with a final project grade of 95%.
- Led a senior capstone project with a team of 4 and earned an A.
- Graduated with honors in the top 15% of the class.
- Earned honor roll recognition in 8 of 8 terms.
- Scored in the 90th percentile on a standardized college admissions test.
- Completed 150 volunteer hours at a local library and youth center.
- Played varsity soccer for 3 seasons and helped the team win 12 of 16 games.
- Won 4 speech and debate awards across 6 tournaments.
- Played first chair clarinet in the school band and performed in 8 concerts.
- Displayed 5 art pieces in a school exhibit attended by about 200 visitors.
- Wrote 12 articles and edited 30 pages for the school yearbook.
- Tutored 6 classmates in math each week, and 5 raised their grades by one letter.
- Helped raise $3,500 for a charity drive with a team of 10 students.
- Built a class website and taught 20 students to use spreadsheet software.
- Coordinated a school event for 250 guests with a team of 15 volunteers.
To save your list: press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) and choose Save as PDF. Only the list prints. To copy it, select the text inside the list and press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C.
A Simple Formula for Achievement Bullets
| Part | Example |
|---|---|
| Action verb | Led, tutored, raised, completed |
| What you did | a club, classmates, funds, hours |
| A number | 18 members, 6 classmates, $3,500 |
| The result | over 12 weeks, grades up one letter |
Put them together: “Served as president of the robotics club and led 18 members through a 12-week season.” Keep each bullet to one or two lines.
How to Find Your Numbers
| Ask yourself | Possible number |
|---|---|
| How many people were involved? | Members, classmates, guests |
| How many hours or weeks? | 120 hours, 12 weeks |
| How much did you raise or earn? | $3,500, a 95 on a project |
| Where did you rank? | Top 10%, first of 25 teams |
| Who noticed? | Teacher, coach, supervisor |
If you do not know an exact figure, use an honest estimate such as “about 40” and be ready to explain how you got it.
Where to Put Achievements
- A Selected Achievements section near the top of the resume, with four to six bullets.
- Under activities, volunteering or a job as the strongest bullets.
- In your objective, with one short, strong result.
Be Honest and Keep It Private
Do not exaggerate grades, awards or hours. Teachers, coaches and employers can check them. Include your name, city and state, phone and email, and leave out your full home address, birth date and ID numbers.
If You Have No Numbers Yet
- Count your activities. Clubs joined, meetings attended, games played, hours volunteered.
- Use results in words. Praised by a teacher, finished before the deadline, asked to lead again.
- Use family and community. Caring for a sibling or helping at a family business shows responsibility.
- Start tracking. Keep a short note of hours and results while you do the activity.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Making up numbers. Use results you can explain.
- Listing activities as achievements. Show an outcome.
- Using too many bullets. Four to six strong ones are enough.
- Including private details. Leave out your full address and birth date.
- Typos. Read the list aloud and ask a teacher or parent to check it.
Achievements Checklist
Tick each item as you finish. Your list is ready when the counter reaches 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I include high school achievements on my resume?
If you have little work history, achievements show reliability, skills and results. Employers, schools and programs can see what you did, how well you did it and who it helped.
How do I choose which achievements to include?
Pick the ones most relevant to the job or program you are applying for, backed by results you can explain. Four to six strong bullets are better than a long list.
Can I list achievements from middle school?
Focus on high school. Include middle school items only if they are still relevant, such as a long-running activity or a major award, and you have little else to show.
How do I format achievements on my resume?
Use a Selected Achievements section near the top with four to six bullets. Start each bullet with an action verb, add a number and state the result, and keep each bullet to one or two lines.
Should I mention my GPA or academic honors?
List your GPA if it is strong, and add honor roll, honor society or class rank if they are true. Leave out a GPA that does not help you and show other strengths instead.
What if I do not have many numbers?
Count what you can: hours volunteered, members led, classmates tutored, events held, dollars raised. If a number is hard to know, use an honest estimate such as about 40 and be ready to explain it.
Do I need awards to have achievements?
No. Finishing a project, being reliable, helping classmates or growing a club are real achievements when they are true and you can explain them.
Where do achievements go on a high school resume?
In a Selected Achievements section near the top, and as the strongest bullets under activities, volunteering and any job.
Can I include part-time work, babysitting or family responsibilities?
Yes. List the role, dates and what you did, with a number where you honestly have one, such as children cared for or customers helped per shift.
Should I put private details on my resume?
Include your name, city and state, phone and email. A full home address, birth date and ID numbers are not needed. Never list a grade, award or hour count that is not true.
Conclusion
Good high school achievements are short, true and specific. Pick the ones that fit the job or program, show the impact on a team or community and use real numbers. Then use the builder above to write yours.
Related Reading
- High school graduate resume with no experience
- Resume writing tips for high school students with no experience
- High school student resume objective examples
- 16 year old resume example
- Recommendation letter for a high school student entering college
Note: Examples are fictional. Every grade, award, hour count and number must be true for you. This page does not guarantee a job, a place in a program or an interview.
Should high school students include non-academic achievements on their resumes, such as sports accomplishments or community service projects, to showcase a more well-rounded profile to potential colleges or employers?
Hi Fiona:
Yes, high school students should definitely include non-academic achievements on their resumes. Showcasing accomplishments in sports, community service, and extracurricular activities can provide a more well-rounded profile to potential colleges or employers.
These achievements highlight essential skills such as teamwork, leadership, dedication, and time management, all of which are valuable traits in any academic or work environment. Including a variety of experiences not only reflects a student’s interests but also demonstrates their ability to engage with their community and commit to various pursuits outside of academics.