You’re wise to get active out of school. But ensure these are the sorts of stretch (and some impact) your targets want to see. Debate is good, school paper, as are sports and drama. Elite colleges can want to see how you get along with the peer group and the school, not just hours or ECs here and there. I’d tell my kiddo to keep the plays.
We’d need to know more. And you do, too. Getting into an elite is more than winning a grant or work with a prestigious newspaper. You want to learn what qualities matter for applicants.