If you have an EC started even before highschool, should you include that or is it strictly only starting from 9th grade?
If it’s an EC that you’ve done continually, then yes, include when you started. For example, on my applications I listed dance 1999-present, when I started specific things in dance that were important (like intensive ballet and pointe), and when I started music lessons on my different instruments (age 4 and age 9).
However, don’t include specific one time awards in those activities from middle school or below.