by Amy Cook

Created on: May 18, 2008

No! I first venture to ask "Why should it be lengthened? What are the positives?"

As far as I can see, there are none.

I am a high school student myself. Just the other day my grandfather asked when my last day of school was. I responded with "May 30th." And he was astounded that we had to stay so late in the year, considering how early we started (August 1st).

If you're over the age of fifty, you can probably recall the "good ole days" when school started after Labor Day and ended around Memorial day. I will never be so lucky.

High school is the best time to get an education! There are so many options you can take advantage of. But high school students are already overworked and pushed way too hard. In today's society, it's very easy to get left in the dust of those more successful than you.

I go to school seven hours a day, thirty five hours a week. I am an honor student and I am on the newspaper staff. Many students at my school are taking classes in which they gain college credit! The stress can be overwhelming, and considering this is such a hormonal and emotional time in our life, I don't think we need to add any stress.

Students all across America utilize their summer by doing volunteer work, going to summer camps, or getting a job. We need those two summer months to get real life skills and experiences-things that school does not give us. If anything, school prevents us from gaining more of those. Longer school years would only lower our opportunity for those skills and experiences.

If a student wants to spend their summer learning just as they would in school, they can sign up for summer school, online classes, local college classes, or just take a few trips to the local library. Learning opportunities are everywhere!

Also, think of the teachers. They need a break just as badly as teenagers do, if not more. They put in more hours than we as students do. They have to plan their classes, backtrack and grade our work. Plus, many teachers take on other projects such as advising a club or managing a fundraiser. Several also need to take on a second job.

If the school year were to be extended, the days should be made shorter. Starting school at nine or ten, instead of seven or eight, would be a grand idea.

Bottom line, no one can push a teen but that teen. If we choose not to take college level courses or work hard to be successful, we only have ourselves to blame.

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