Sign up for the highest level of courses that you are offered. So if you are recommended to take Honors levels of classes, do it.
Make sure you take your core classes (Algebra, Geometry, Trig, Pre Calc, Calc), English, (Bio/CHem/Physics), Required Social Studies, Foreign language up to Level 4…but then take courses of interest…I think it better to take a Photography course if you are interested in it over AP Human Geography just because it is an AP course.
As far as ECs…do what interests you!
That can be Sports, Music, Debate, Service…whatever you like! And if you don’t know…join some different clubs and see what sticks!
Also ECs don’t have to be in school…you can do martial arts or baby sitting or volunteer at church or the hospital.
When should you get a job?
I think it is good if you get a job sometime during HS so you know how to act in a work environment. Definitely over the summer if possible. You can work during the school year if you need to and if it won’t interfere with your school work. Working is a fine EC, but you can’t let it take priority over your grades.
Check out “How to be a High School Superstar” by Cal Newport.
“The basic message of the book is this: Don’t wear yourself out taking as many classes as you can and being involved in every club and sport. Instead, leave yourself enough free time to explore your interests. Cultivate one interest and make it into something special that will make you stand out among the other applicants and get you into the toughest schools, even if your grades and scores aren’t stellar. Newport calls this the “relaxed superstar approach,” and he shows you how to really do this, breaking the process down into three principles, explained and illustrated with real life examples of students who got into top schools: (1) underscheduling—making sure you have copious amounts of free time to pursue interesting things, (2) focusing on one or two pursuits instead of trying to be a “jack of all trades,” and (3) innovation—developing an interesting and important activity or project in your area of interest. This fruit yielded by this strategy, an interesting life and real, meaningful achievements, is sure to help not only with college admissions, but getting a job, starting a business, or whatever your goals.”
http://www.examiner.com/review/be-a-relaxed-high-school-superstar