With summer rolling around in only a mere couple of weeks, it seems students at State High have their minds elsewhere. From swimming, vacation, summer jobs, and just plain relaxing, everyone appears to be ready for summer. But for some students at State High, summer is the perfect time to get ahead. Where students have the choice to sign up for summer courses instead of waiting for the fall. But leaves the question, should class courses be attached to just the classroom? 

While summer courses have many benefits for students, like meeting their graduation requirements and getting a head start on the school year, teachers and parents must ask themselves what the real purpose of school is. To many, school and class might just seem like a checkbox list that must be completed by the end of four years, where students just need to receive a grade on a paper to “succeed.” But by encouraging and allowing students to take classwork away from school, it only promotes this mindset towards schooling.  

“I think that offering summer courses over the summer is beneficial for students because it opens up their schedule for the following school year,” senior Madison Watschke said. 

Being in school is so important for teens because it encourages students to engage with their peers and the world around them. At State High, it has become increasingly more “popular” for students to take gym class online over the summer. Now, with more and more students taking courses over the summer, fewer students need to interact with their peers. 

The most important part of school is often mistaken for the grades or classwork, but in reality, it is the socialization. Allowing students to do their school work from the comfort of their own homes, means they can go the entire course without speaking to another person. Taking classes in person, requires all students to interact and problem solve with classmates. Which in return helps students grow connections and friendships with others that would not be possible from home. 

“I did pay for a course once in the past, but I would never do it again, especially because you can take online courses for free during the school year. Rather than using up your time in the summer,” senior Emma Hildebrand said. 

Not to mention, summer courses are not cheap for students. To take physical education, Language of Medicine, or health over the summer at State High costs students $270. With Driver Safety costing a whopping $137.50. 

“I would pay, and have paid, for summer courses because being a student-athlete means missing a lot of school. So, the more study halls I have during the year, the better,” Watschke said. 

Furthermore, students work to no end for eleven months, with hardly any breaks in between. And even when breaks do present themselves, students still find themselves with countless homework assignments and tests to study for. So when students finally make it to the end of the school year, summer is the perfect time for students to unwind. Rather than spending their summer finishing online courses and tests, students should be enjoying their downtime. Spending time with friends and family, or maybe just being outside, summer is essential to students’ state of mind. 

“I think that while yes summer courses are expensive and I haven’t personally taken them, I think that it allows teachers to get paid over the summer. Which I think is really good for both the students’ education and teachers pay,” sophomore Madeline Kopinski said. 

Whether students sign up for summer courses or not, it is important that students take the time this summer to slow down. Spend time with your friends and family and take a well-deserved vacation from working hard all school year.