Category: High School

Whenever I visit other schools, I am always interested in the traditions and rituals that help establish that school’s identity and what they value. Rockford Area Schools offers many traditions that bind our school community into a family and build a healthy environment.

Most high schools have traditions around sports, for example. We are just finishing homecoming season where, at Rockford Area Schools, it impacts not only Rockford High School but our middle and elementary schools as well. The homecoming traditions in our district are a little than other schools. We do have pep fests, but in all three buildings where the Homecoming court, band, cheerleaders and sports teams’ captains visit students as role models and celebrate being a “Rocket.” Dress up days are another difference—each building determines their theme for the day for the week. The after-game fireworks are put on through donations of parents and community residents. This year the students at Rockford High School overwhelmingly named Jack Bryngleson and Karly Jensen Homecoming King and Queen. Jack is a senior who is fighting a type of bone cancer and Karly is his girlfriend. The students and staff are rallying to support both of them by helping to create lasting memories that can be cherish forever.

Each school in our district has a variety of traditions specific to their school. At Rockford Middle School Center for Environmental Studies, student’s history, beliefs and hopes have been recorded annually through a tile mural project. This tradition was started in the 1994-95 school year with an original mural depicting a map of Minnesota. Another favorite tradition is the annual Deep Portage trip in the fall, now in its 23rd year. This tradition involves sixth grade students on a field trip to the Deep Portage Learning Center in Hackensack for three days. During the day, the student learn to canoe, use compasses and contour maps, do rock wall climbing, hike to the treetop tower, and other activities. At night, the students participate in nocturnal hunter games, story-telling and sing-alongs. The annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Showcase is a newer tradition that started after the school became a STEM magnet school over eight years ago.

At the elementary school, there is a permanent art collection throughout the building that showcases the creativity of our elementary students as well as our arts magnet program. The school has been an arts magnet school for 14 years. The school hosts many events that have developed into tradition like Family Fun Nights, spotlight concerts and the spring Arts and Academic Showcase to name a few.

Another tradition that started in 2011 is our Distinguished Alumni and Honorary Diploma program. The Distinguished Alumni recipients are selected annually based on outstanding professional and personal successes, as well as achievements in national, regional, or statewide prominence either in their professional fields or through their involvement in civic, cultural or charitable activities. An Honorary Diploma is annually conferred to an individual who demonstrates high standards of excellence in their personal and professional achievements as a way of honoring the distinguished citizen’s contribution to the district.

A long-standing tradition, planned by alumni, the Rockford High School All-alumni Reunion, scheduled for the first Saturday in October. Held annually for many decades, it enables people to reconnect with friends over lunch time.

I could go on. But this is just a short list of many traditions that Rockford Area Schools offer.

Traditions represent a critical piece of our culture. They help form the structure and foundation of our families and our society. They remind us that we are part of a history that defines our past, shapes who we are today and who we are likely to become.

As leaders, role models, and parents, we must strive to utilize every opportunity available to us to reinforce the values and beliefs that we hold dear. Tradition reinforces values such as freedom, integrity, a good education, personal responsibility, a strong work ethic, and the value of being selfless.

At Rockford Area Schools, we work to incorporate traditions that went beyond simply ‘school spirit’ to truly emphasize the school’s mission around academics. We are proud of the traditions we offer, leaving cherished memories, a sense of belonging and celebrating the things that really matter in life.

My consumer Allen has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder type one. According to the Mayo Clinic, bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme fluctuations in mood. Bipolar disorder type one is when the manic episode is more recent or the most extreme for the individual. The mood swings include having a low mood (depression) and extremely high moods which can be mania or hypomania (Mayo Clinic). These symptoms can be rare, or the person may experience them multiple times a year. A person may have a manic episode for several weeks or depression for several weeks and rotates.

Some symptoms of having bipolar disorder pointed out by the Mayo Clinic are being abnormally upbeat, increased energy, the feeling of euphoria, insomnia, poor decision-making, and more. During a depressive episode, some symptoms may be weight loss without intentional dieting, either insomnia or sleeping too much, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and more (Mayo Clinic). These episodes rotate after each other causing a cycle of the symptoms. Mania tends to cause more noticeable problems with daily activities like school, social events, work, and relationships. It may trigger a break from reality and in severe cases require hospitalization.

There is not an exact cause known for bipolar disorder, but it is influenced by biological differences and genetics. Left untreated there could be problems related to substance abuse, suicide or attempted suicide, legal or financial problems, damaged relationships, and poor work or school performance (Mayo Clinic). Some barriers that people with bipolar disorder might have are that they may not be able to control themselves, medication may not work, and anxiety and relationships may become strained. The consumer has been instructed by his primary doctor to take medication and see a therapist to cope with his episodes. His most recent episode has been mania, as a result, he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder 1 which involves severe manic episodes.

The consumer’s name is Allen Jackson and he is 16 years old. He currently lives with his mother, father, and older brother in Nashville, Illinois. He is a junior at Nashville Elite High School. He says that he also has a support dog named “Bud”. To cope with having an episode, Allen draws, paints, and writes. Some strengths that he identified are being artistic, empathetic, intelligent, and responsible. During his manic episodes, he says that he gains more confidence, and he recognizes this as a strength as well. He hopes to become an artist after graduating from high school, so he can show his creative side and make people acknowledge their emotions. Another option he identified was to become a writer, for the same reasons as becoming an artist. On his team are his immediate family, teachers, primary doctor, therapist, case manager, vocational counselor, as well as a community employment specialist.

When asked about living arrangements after high school, Allen shares that he is afraid to have his apartment but hopes to have one when he reaches 20 years old. Allen does not currently work but one job characteristic he wants to focus on is being able to be creative. Some stable careers related to his interests and skills are becoming an English teacher or an art teacher. These job options depend on what age category he is comfortable working with elementary, middle, high school, and special education or non-special education. For both options, Allen would need to continue to post-school education and earn a teaching certificate and degree.

Some volunteering options for Allen while he is in high school, are participating in children’s summer camp and running an arts and crafts program. This will allow Allen to express his creativity and find an age group he will enjoy working with. Another volunteering option is working at the library. This atmosphere will allow him access to different books and genres to grow as a writer. Volunteering in high school will allow Allen to gain experience and help him decide which career path he would like to choose. Allen states that he hasn’t thought about being a volunteer but is open-minded to it. To begin, Allen should volunteer 5 hours a week over the summer, then once getting used to the job he can volunteer more hours.

At the end of the session, we reviewed Allen’s goals for this year and next school year. His first goal is to start volunteering over the summer. The next goal is to find employment during his senior year of high school. Also, during his senior year, we will begin to research higher education options and career options. A third goal is to decide if he would like to continue to post-education after high school. The final goal was to have an apartment by the time Allen turned 20 years old.

Individual Service Plan Summary

The individual plan starts by learning about the person and their disability. I used the online resource, Mayo Clinic, to understand more about bipolar disorders. This gave me information about symptoms he may have, causes, and types of bipolar disorders. This information and information given by Allen helped me notice the barriers that he might have. Another resource that Allen and his family can use is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders: Edition Five. This manual provides information about different disorders and Allen and his family can use it to understand his disability more. The Mayo Clinic identified some medication that will help Allen during episodes and therapy may help him cope with episodes and understand what to do when he is having one. Two medications that are used for bipolar disorders are antidepressants and antipsychotics (Carter, 2019). The medication can help regulate his mood to combat manic or depressive episodes.

Sessions with Allen highlighted his desired jobs and education goals. From the desired jobs Allen stated, we dug deeper and thought of things he could do in high school to start getting experience. This led to the idea of volunteering during high school and over the summer. He plans to volunteer over the summer of his junior year and find a job during his senior year. The experience of volunteering will allow him to discover what he likes doing and what he does not. It will also give him more social interaction, transferrable skills, and an understanding of a work environment. During his senior year, he and his team will look into post-education options and start applying to the ones that he likes. This will include doing tours, filling out applications, and looking into what is needed financially. If Allen decides not to go to post-education schooling, he will find a job that he finds satisfying. Included in his plan is to have his apartment after high school, by age 20.

Some things not discussed during planning are support systems that he has outside of his team and transportation to volunteer sites or jobs. Since Allen will begin volunteering over the summer and based on which volunteer site he chooses he may need transportation to and from. We will begin looking into different volunteer sites and pick one based on his interests, the community employment specialist will assist in this process. Some ways that Allen can find more volunteer sites are by looking at websites of specific places he is interested in and seeing if they accept volunteers or calling the place directly.

Allen picked people to be on the team that he trusted and would help him in his goals. Aside from his family members, his team consisted of several professionals; a vocational counselor, a therapist, and his primary doctor. Each team member has an opinion on how Allen can or should achieve his goals. However, the decisions were made by Allen and the goals and planning were based on what he wanted to achieve, which is a significant step towards independence.

When working with a team, each member should be able to give their opinion and input, however, parents should have more influence. Parents tend to know what their child is capable of and how they feel outside of school and social events. Parents teach their children how to be independent, such as budgeting, cleaning, and planning. If his parents remain active participants, they can give more information that Allen might not think of sharing that would be beneficial to his plan. Each team member has a different specialization and a blended team can help the consumer think of new things, and explain different things, and a team makes sure that everything is thought of and covered. The final decisions are decided by Allen however everyone influences the plan. For his current service plan, Allen plans to volunteer over the summer, find employment research post-school options during his senior year, and obtain an apartment by 20 years old.

References

1. American Psychiatric Association (2014). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.
2. Carter, A. (2019). Drugs to treat bipolar disorder. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder/drugs-medications-overview.
3. Mayo Clinic. (2018). Bipolar disorder. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355955.

During Summer 2021 I attended a Medicine Masterclass by Corpus Christi Cambridge which focused on the naked mole rat and the lack of the pain sensors that allow them to maintain critical energy, potentially explaining their long lifespans. The naked mole rat lacks pain sensitivity in its skin, and we learned that this is caused by a small difference in a selection of amino acids in a receptor of the nervous system. This course was inspiring as it became clear that naked mole rats could lead the way to innovative strategies that can be developed to treat pain in humans in the future.

I completed a weeklong placement in a GP surgery, and I found this experience to be extremely beneficial as I had the opportunity to shadow different GPs, nurses, pharmacists, and other professionals who all play a role in patient health. I was amazed to learn about the great number of aspects that all go into providing single-person care. During consultations, I observed blood samples and pressures being taken and was fascinated by the professionalism and gentleness of the nurses. Witnessing a great range of cases, from a 6-week baby check-up to Rheumatoid Arthritis and suspected DVT, informed me about daily life as a doctor. I was particularly enthralled by a patient with a history of depression also suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome and how the doctor sympathized with the patient. Through this experience, it was also highlighted to me the importance of trust in the doctor-patient relationship. The doctor’s unfaltering motivation presented to me the sheer privilege of having such a stimulating vocation. This opportunity reaffirmed my desire to study medicine.

In 2021, I attended monthly webinars by Allied Healthcare Mentor which follow different healthcare professionals who are involved in patient care whilst having the opportunity to follow numerous patient journeys through primary, secondary, and tertiary care. By observing, I have learned how they interact with the patients and with one another in stressful environments. I got to see how they worked together to solve issues and the way the professionals brought a friendly, relaxing atmosphere to the workspace. I also gained a deeper knowledge of the multidisciplinary teams in a variety of settings from hospitals to the community and of the importance of teamwork in healthcare.

My desire to help others led me to volunteer weekly at the East Renfrewshire Larder, a foodbank that provides immediate access to essential items for anyone in need. My role is to help out by organizing and packing parcels alongside other volunteers. We work as a team to provide the services as quickly and efficiently as we can. My passion for helping other people encouraged me to volunteer as a listener for the 7Cups helpline during the pandemic. This role requires compassion, patience, and the ability to support people going through a difficult time. My role as a listening volunteer has also allowed me to gain the ability to navigate challenging conversations and has taught me how to talk to a variety of individuals from different backgrounds. Engaging with people from various age groups and backgrounds displays my patience, empathy, and communication skills and the experience has shown the importance of caring for the emotional as well as the physical needs.

Being multilingual and participation in the Anti-Racism Committee, I have been exposed to a range of cultures and learned to truly respect personal, religious, and cultural beliefs, which is particularly useful for healthcare professionals due to the importance of effective communication. Understanding the importance of lifelong learning and my desire to challenge myself motivated me to enroll in the British Sign Language course, to learn to communicate using my gestures, facial expressions, and body language. I was stunned to learn that BSL is used by around 151,000 people within the UK alone.

For 11 years I have attended a theatre school, through which I have performed in numerous internal shows as well as having the privilege to perform in smaller roles as part of many professional theatre productions with the Scottish Opera. This opportunity has allowed me to build on my confidence as well as improve my interpersonal and communication skills. After being selected, I have had the great opportunity to sing as part of the Royal National Scottish Orchestra’s Junior Chorus for 11 years, whilst also completing my Gold Award which requires commitment, consistency, and practice. In addition to this, I am also a member of the school choir, sinfonia, and the school senior drama shows. Through my participation in these, the key message – that every person has a role to play – has become evident to me. This correlates to the multidisciplinary roles in the healthcare system as professionals must work together, as a collective, to achieve the best outcome.

To further fuel my interest in research and wider reading, I have decided to take part in my school’s Independent Research Project, which will allow me to hone my skills in academic writing to a greater extent. I have chosen to investigate the twin epidemics of heart disease and diabetes in people from the Indian subcontinent. During my research up till date, I was shocked to discover, that South Asians contribute to 60% of the figures for heart disease. Being Indian myself, I found this important issue to be not only relevant but also personal.

Playing Hockey for 10 years at both club and school has allowed me to develop my understanding of teamwork, maintaining morale, perseverance as well as leadership. As a volunteer at an afterschool childcare center, I was responsible for organizing different activities to keep the children engaged, through this I have honed my leadership skills and gained valuable interpersonal skills by interacting with children and parents. Achieving my Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award during challenging conditions required teamwork and also the ability to maintain morale in tough situations, as well as rational thinking through the expedition to ascertain a shared goal. This year I have chosen to take on a challenge by embarking on the Gold Award.

Through my part-time job as a waitress, I have improved my customer service skills as well as learned how to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment whilst completing tasks to the best of my ability. To take on further responsibility in my school, I have been selected as a Prefect as part of which I will have to partake in a variety of roles all of which will allow me to build upon crucial skills such as leadership, teamwork, and time management. Taking part in the Scottish Mathematical Challenge and the Biology Olympiad has allowed me to improve my problem-solving skills which are invaluable to medicine. Playing Bridge for 5 years and winning the Scottish Schools Award has developed my logical and lateral thinking. Whilst also enabling me to improve upon my responsiveness to unpredictable circumstances as it tests not only the mind but also strategy and tactics. With dedication and perseverance, I have achieved my Grade 6 in violin, through which I have also gained a strong manual dexterity by playing from a young age.

High school is widely known to be a time during our adolescence when we gain a mass collection of life experiences and knowledge. Hardships and prosperity throughout my high school career have created the path to where I am today, and the lessons I’ve taken from these years are bound to prove useful for the rest of my life.

Identical to all newly enrolled freshmen, I was engulfed with feelings of anxiety, stress, and hope upon my start of high school. Unprepared for the challenges that awaited me, I enrolled myself in all PreAP classes. Towards the beginning of the school year, my previously sheltered life surfaced reality: I was informed of the troubles within my parent’s relationship, and that they would be getting a divorce. This was my first, true taste of the brutality of the real world, and I was completely blindsided. Because of the unfortunate complications of the divorce, I struggled to motivate myself enough to carry out simple daily tasks, such as socializing and keeping up with my schoolwork. My grades suffered severely, and because the school year had just recently started, I had minimal friends I felt comfortable communicating my emotions. Without the ability to focus at school, or even at my own home, I began digging my GPA into a deeper hole by refusing to drop any advanced-level classes. By the start of the second semester, I had broken down, releasing my reluctance of dropping into academic classes. From this experience, I began to understand how crucial grades truly were, and how I would spend the next 3 years fixing my GPA. I learned the same lesson everybody eventually learns: the key to life is to make use of the cards you’ve been dealt, not sulk about the ones you’ve received.

I spent the remaining of my freshman year, up until my junior year, recovering from the arduous experience I had faced. During that time, I began finding comfort in the computer I had built myself in 7th grade. I started to meet many new friends online and I became closer with many of my friends I knew from school. Playing video games and socializing with these newly founded friends provided me with an outlet where I felt that I could freely express myself. As a result, my passion for technology flourished. I started involving myself in any technology-related curriculum at school I could- AP Computer Science, Digital Art, and currently an introduction course to Cyber Security, where I aim to acquire my Security+ certification at the end of the year. Since I retired from my high school basketball career at the start of my junior year, I decided to start and be involved in some clubs at my school to pass the time and be more involved. I was ecstatic and extremely fortunate to welcome over 75 members, within the first several months of operation, to my newly created gaming club: Cinco Ranch eSports. It was a priceless experience where I expanded my knowledge in the fields of leadership, teamwork, and much more. I directed the team in online tournaments for different games, and I was able to meet many new people that I shared a strong passion with. Finding my true passion and meeting many new friends, whom I was fortunate enough to become close with, made my junior year of high school one of the most memorable years of my life.

Comparing the start of high school to my final moments, I’ve matured tremendously and have gained vast knowledge from the life lessons I’ve encountered. These past 4 years have provided an infrastructure for learning and understanding the world and additionally, how I truly want to live my life.

The most reliable way to predict your future is to create it. I am 17, a junior in high school doing full-time running start. Last quarter I took FYE, Psychology 200, Sociology, and Walking 1 and 2. This winter quarter I am taking Psychology 100, English 101, and Art Appreciation. Along with being a full-time college student, I work at Hot Shots. I work four days a week and make minimum wage, it is better than nothing though. During the shifts I work I do not make tips which also sucks, but I am just thankful I have a job. This is my five-year plan and I hope I have come a lot further in life by then. In five years I hope to have graduated from LCSC, be a lot closer to my dreams, and have accomplished a lot of my goals.

I am in the middle of my first year of college, I am enjoying it a lot more than being at the high school. I am so grateful that I am able to have the opportunity to do a running start and get moving with my future faster. I do not like high school, it was not my pace and I did not really fit in. In my junior year, I decided to take advantage of running start and do what I want to do, and get closer to my goals faster. I like being challenged and moving fast with work. I felt that I was getting babied at the high school and we spent a week on each thing and I did not feel I was living to my full potential. I was also having a lot more problems with my mental health when I was in high school. I much rather be happier and get through two years of college while I am in high school rather than dread going to class every day for seven hours. In seven weeks, it will be the week before finals, but I got the opportunity to go on a family trip to Hawaii with my dad’s side of the family and I just started to fix things after not talking to them for almost two years. That has also had a big impact on my mental health and my grades. It feels good to be happy, I want this feeling to stick around. I am so grateful for how far we have come in bonding. I am hoping things get good enough to where I could maybe move in with my dad in hopes that they get that red house my stepmom really loves. They are just waiting for someone to buy their house. Next school year I will be doing my senior project and going to college for my sophomore year. I am nervous about my senior project, I do not have any ideas about what to do it on and I do not like talking in front of a lot of people or people in general. I will get through it, I hope that the year 2020 will be a year of growth, self-care, happiness, getting fit, and finding my worth. Things have been rough for a while, but I know they will get better. Healing takes time. Anyway, I will be doing math, history, and maybe science next year. Since I can not do it this quarter or they do not have classes available for next quarter. The next thing I know I will be graduating high school, then a month later graduating college. That is so crazy to think about.

Since I have graduated from high school and WWCC I hope that I was able to go on an amazing trip to California before enrolling into LCSC. Then I will be partaking in classes to be getting my bachelors in social work and a minor in psychology. I have always wanted to go into social work because I love helping people and I had to deal with it a lot my whole life. I hope that in that two years, I make some friends and find a partner. I have always been a loner, I wish it was different because I am a really nice person and I love and am super supportive of my friends if I had any. I also have been single for a long time and I do not want to waste my time just having a “thing” with someone. I want this to be my last relationship. I will always be in class early and turn my work in on time and try to maintain really good grades. I also will work really hard at work. I hope to still have my job at Hot Shots, I love everyone I work with. I also hope that I have a job where my stepdad works and I can start to work in the field I want to go into before I get my bachelor’s. He said he could get me a job as an “assistant job coach.” He helps disabled people get great jobs. Although, I want to work with kids, and foster kids when I graduate. It will still be a great opportunity.

Now that I have graduated from LCSC and I am almost 21, I hope to have found a partner and some amazing friends. I do not want to spend my summer after graduation without friends and doing nothing but work. I also hope that I have saved money to get my dream car. I really want a 2019 Subaru Legacy. I also want to move out of the valley. I do not like it down here. It is not as fast pace as a bigger city and there is nothing to do around here. I plan to move to the tri-cities so I can live closer to my nana and have more job opportunities. My nana is my best friend and I love her with all my heart I would love to live closer to her and spend more time with her. I barely get to see her and it sucks. Also, it is more fast-paced and there are way more job opportunities for me. I want to get a nice apartment or a small house. I have been dreaming for years to be able to decorate my own place and be on my own. I want a simple place with neutral colors. I even have a list on Amazon for things when I move out and things I am going to ask for, for my birthday in the next few years so it saves me money. I also really want to get a dog when I move as well because I love dogs and it would be nice to have a companion if I do not or do have a partner when I move. I am so excited for that day to come.

How I plan to reach these goals, such as going to school every day and turning in my work on time. Waking up two hours before I have to be somewhere. Put forth all my effort in my school work. Basically, I will just continue what I am doing because I have had pretty successful school years. I dread having bad grades so I am always putting my best foot forward and working hard. I always show up to school at least fifteen minutes early if not more. I never leave class unless I have to. I always start my homework as soon as I get home. If I can turn in my work early I do. If there is anything I can start early I will. I also always ask for help or guidance if I need it with any assignment. If my grades are not where I want them to be I always will see if I can redo something or if I can do any extra credit. When it comes to tests I will study for twenty minutes, then take a break, then go back until I feel I am prepared. When I go to take the test I have a good mindset and try my best. Then of course put me out there so I can get a job in the field I want to go into.

I hope to have grown in the future and proceed with my dreams and just become a better person. I hope that my college experience has been as good as it is now. I hope that my grades are good. I hope that I get my dream car. I hope that I get to move to the tri-cities. I hope that I still have my job at Hot Shots, I also hope I get that job with my stepdad. I hope that I was able to go to California, I also hope Hawaii was great. I overall just hope that I am genuinely happy and doing good in life.

Part A

Canterbury Boys High School is a secondary school which consists of male students from years 7-12, the school has a small student populus compared to other schools within the area, there is a majority of students who are from a language background other than English (LBOTE). The school is located in the sydney metropolitan area, and also enrols a small amount of Indigenous students (Myschool)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) students for Canterbury Boys and Girls High School in years 7-8 are escorted to Canterbury Public School to support and act as mentors for ATSI students that will soon attend high school. This allows them to build confidence when starting their high school journey.

There is also extensive support for students that have learning difficulties with any area within the schooling curriculum. Learning and support teachers (LaST), target students with specific learning difficulties and implements special learning programs that will assist identify their learning needs.

School learning support officers (SLSO) works in conjunction with LaST to recognize intellectual, physical, emotional or mental health needs for students and assist the implementation of Individual Education Programs. There is a homework centre which staff helps students finish and understand the concepts that are being learnt in assessment task and homeworks once a week. With these support networks, the general student well-being can be boosted, as the attendance and accomplishments can be carefully monitored. The school actively creates opportunities for parents to meet one another to discuss how the school can meet the students needs.

The school also has access to variety of programs to better the students and prepare them for their lives after secondary schooling. The ABCN Program, Interview2Impress is an interactive program designed to teach students the necessary skills for future employment. Students are taught on non-verbal communications, the typical structure of interviews, and practise mock interviews in which they can attempt to present the knowledge they have learnt.

Also, UNSW Aspire, which is an outreach program to help students achieve better results, to ultimately enter university. The program cater to year 7 and 10 students with workshops and talks about how the ATAR works to scholarships and university fees. Students from year 10 are invited to a 3 day program that which involves meeting the ASPIRE ambassadors and various mentors from different faculties for the students to gain a better insight of their future career paths.

As the school consists of students from many different backgrounds, a cultural celebration known as Harmony day is held yearly. The purpose of inclusiveness and respect for all Australians, regardless of race and culture. The students and staff are welcome to engage in the cultural dancing and music, with food and drinks from different cultures being served.

Part B

Bullying is an aggressive act which can be classified through different conditions. First is the cruel behaviours purposed to cause harm and distress, second is the repetitives nature of these acts being carried out over a certain period of time, lastly the relationship where there is a clear imbalance of power between the parties involved (Stein, Dukes & Warren, 2006, p. 273, as cited in American Psychological Association (APA), 2005; Gini, 2004; Nansel et al., 2001; Olweus, 1993).

Stein et al. (2006) states that bullying and victimisation are universal in nature, and is globally recognised and studied. The studies conducted show that there are concerning trends for these bullies, some examples include being prone to alcohol abuse, psychiatric symptoms, difficulty following rules and poor adjustment into schooling.

Contrastingly, the victims of bullying showed signs of depression, loneliness, and had a negative self-image, issues which arose later (Stein et al., 2006). Kumpulainen, K., Räsänen, E., Henttonen, I., Almqvist, F., Kresanov, K., Linna, S. et al. (1998) studies show that boys were 4-5 times more prone to becoming bullies or victims than girls, and the boys that bullied generally being stronger than their victims. In light of this, violence in schools is important to examine the cause for such behaviour found predominantly in boys.

With the school situated in the metropolitan area of Sydney, cultural diversity and differences are becoming a commonplace in schools. N.Satoro (2009) emphasises how there must be adequate teachers within the field that can understand and support students from different cultures, as well as the educators understanding their own backgrounds and ethnicity to allow students to better bond with teachers, which can lead to a better learning environment. Teachers tend to prefer working in schools which they seem to have a cultural and social connection to their own, as a great number of students are LBOTE teachers that are inexperienced with the different ethnic students will fail to being effective (N.Satoro, 2009).

Socioeconomic status (SES) is arguably the leading conceptual variable used in educational research, as the relationship between SES and a students academic outcome fluctuates significantly. Sirin, S. R., (2005) studies shows that the relationship between a students SES and their academic results is due to several factors. Such as the grade level of the students, from a minority group and the location of the school, and as Canterbury Boys High School has a SES lower than the average in the state, students are more susceptible to the relationship between SES and students potential.

The relationship between SES and academic results in relation to the students grade/age showed a diminishing result. Sirin, S. R., (2005) points to two different possibilities, First, school systems could provide a learning experience which aims to equalized the students as much as possible the longer they stay in that particular school. Second, is the result of the students with a low SES dropping out to pursue a career as quick as they can, thus reducing the gap as the students age.

As the school enrolls many students from varying cultures and backgrounds, it is possible for differing results from culture to culture. However, minority students tend to lag behind the average student, there are a some notable explanations such as living in lower-income households, parents having limited education or in single parent families (Sirin, S. R., 2005). Ultimately limiting the schooling with limited fundings, which links to the academic loss.

Furthermore, the location of the school can play a part in the social and economic circumstances of the students. The U.S. Department of Education, (2000) found data regarding the significant differences between schools in affluent neighbourhoods and schools which are considered “disadvantaged”.

The separation of gender has existed throughout history, the most common example of this in our modern lives would probably be in the schooling system. As schools can influence the students overall development, there is much debate on whether single-sex education or coeducation is better for a students learning experience and future prospects. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association with over 1.6 million students from the ages of 5 to 18 between 1968 and 2013 found that there was evidence to support that the difference between male and female learning abilities were trivial, some of these include mathematics, verbal ability, self esteem and leadership qualities (Hyde, J. S., 2014). Another important dilemma is in regards to the lack of experience and interactions in single-sex schooling compared to coeducational schools (Wong, I. W., as cited in Fabes RA, Pahlke E, Borders AZ, Galligan K. US principals’ attitudes about and experiences with single-sex schooling. Educ Stud. 2015; 41(3): 293–311). Interacting with others from the opposite gender in a vital area for an adolescents’ psychological and social development, which cannot be replicated from same-gender interactions (Wong, I. W., 2018, p. 17, as cited in Grover RL, Nangle DW, Serwik A, Zeff KR. Girl friend, boy friend, girlfriend, boyfriend: Broadening our understanding of heterosocial competence. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2007; 36(4): 491–502 ) Wong, I. W., (2018) shows results which favour mixed schools rather than single-sex schools in relation to gender salience, friends from opposite sex and anxiety during schooling years and through to university. Students from single sex schools were found to be more anxious when in mixed gender situations and had far fewer friends from the other gender.

As previously mentioned, the claims which support that single-sex schools being superior are trivial and insignificant. It would seem appropriate to allow young students to be exposed to mixed-gender to potentially avoid issues later in their lives. It is clear that there is no enough research within this area of education, and should require more focus on the implications on the social and psychological impacts of single-sex schooling, comparative to mixed-gender schools.

Part C

Reflection

My experiences with Australian schooling has been mostly positive and some could say privileged to a certain extent. I attended both public and private schooling and can appreciate both systems and also realise the potential drawback from these two different environments.

Growing up as a middle class migrant from another country meant that as a young child, had to adapt to the change in culture and expectations of this country. Primary school was a difficult time, as I had trouble with English and frequently caused problems within the classroom. The school could not effectively cater to students like me as there was such a wide variety of personalities and cultures. Due to this my parents believed opting for private schooling was ideal for my needs, whilst the support from teachers and staff was far grounded than public schools, it was difficult to make lasting friendships and connections with the other students. Some potential reasons could include the late enrolment or the difference in social class, as a middle class family, the difference in lifestyle and perspectives could have been the inhibiting factor. Interestingly, the friends made were of similar culture and were within the middle class range.

High School was when I decided to return to public schooling, as school fees were getting expensive. The school was average relative to other schools within the area, teachers which students had a genuine connection and respect were few in number and the quality of teaching was inconsistent from year to year.

The school had a large LBOTE student population and there was great cultural diversity and acceptance amongst most students. As the student population was quite large, students had little difficulty finding friends and forming groups whom they had similarities and values.

As Canterbury Boys High School is a all boys and is situated in the urban area, it is possible to assume that the social dynamics would be similar to those of which I have experienced in during high school. There is however a significantly smaller student population compared to the surrounding schools and what I have experience (Myschool). However, I believe that through my understanding and exposure of secondary education would assist me greatly, as I could better form connections with students due to my own personal positioning.

Justification

As we previously explored the social dynamics which could potentially play out, there are measures to help counteract negative outcomes for the students. In reference to literature, I will be examining methods to be inclusive to the student population.

Bullying can occur anywhere, from schools to workplaces and can affect the well beings of the victims and the perpetrator negatively short and long term. There are some interesting methods proposed by Maria M. Ttofi & David P. Farrington (2010) review on school based programs on tackling bullying. New programs are more effective when inspired by previously established programs which were successful, with modifications considering the aspects found practical or impractical (Maria M. Ttofi & David P. Farrington, 2010). An example of this is playground supervision as an element which were found to have relationship to a effective program. It is understandable that this would prove efficient, as a majority of targeted bullying occurs during recess and lunch breaks (Farrington, D. P. & Ttofi, M. M., 2010).

Disciplinary action is a form of intervention which is proven to be effective in the reduction in both bullying and the victimisation. Such could include a variety of sanctions, including stern talks with bullies, visits to the principal, close monitoring during breaks, and being deprived of privileges (Farrington, D. P. & Ttofi, M. M., 2010). Farrington and Ttofi found results which show that programs to target bullying were more effective towards senior students compared to junior students. This may be due to older students having developed superior cognitive and behavioural abilities, decrease impulsiveness, and a better tendency of making rational decisions.

Furthermore, Anti-bullying actions should go outside of the schooling system and should target different aspects such as family. Studies show that bullied students often found it difficult to communicate their issues with anyone, whilst guardians and teachers would not talk to the bullies about their behaviours (Farrington and Ttofi, 2010, p. 46, as cited by Fekkes et al. 2005). It is important to inform parents about issues with bullying through educational presentations and parent teacher interviews as the cooperation with parents related strongly to the significant decrease in bullying and victims of bullying (Farrington and Ttofi, 2010).

Cultural diversity at Canterbury Boys High School is widespread and prominent, which is common for most schools in the urban area. This large variety of ethnic groups can be daunting for teachers who are unfamiliar with these different cultures, typically for preservice teachers (Milner, R. 2006). Milner, R. (2006) reinforces the idea of importance of preservice teachers developing knowledge of the diversity in schools, particularly ones within the urban areas.

Critical reflection is highly thought to be a necessity for preservice teachers. Such reflection should be focus on themselves and upbringing, their potential students and their experiences and other communities. In other words, new knowledge and insight about the racial and ethical differences must be established to break down the numerous stereotypes that may have been internalised throughout the years (Milner, R. 2006, as cited in McIntosh, P., 1990). It is observable that self evaluation is of utmost importance to understand the students from different cultures, through the self evaluation my own cultural positionings.

Socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnic background can be related in terms of school locations. Compared to rural and urban areas, suburban communities hold a higher SES and are mostly White (Milner, R. 2006).

As urban and rural schools are two ends of the spectrum, these two schooling locations tend to have a high percentage of students living in poor households, single-parented families, and lack of resources and lower credentialed teachers, in particular urban schools (Perry, L. B. & Mcconney, A. 2010). Also due to urban schools enrolling a larger range of backgrounds, values and merits, there must be a greater variety of curricula to cater for the diversity of students. Hence, lower SES schools are less inclined to focus on academical education, rather vocational (Perry, L. B. & Mcconney, A. 2010, as cited Edwards, 2006).

(Milner, R. 2006, as cited in Ennis & McCauley, 2002; Ferguson, 2000; Kozol, 1992; Weiner, 2003). Sirin, S. R. (2005) outlines some possible interventions that may improve those in lower SES, who would have fallen behind because of their background. Such examples include smaller classrooms and schools (Sirin, S. R., 2005, as cited in Glass & Smith, 1989), childhood education, after-school and holiday (Sirin, S. R., 2005, as cited in Entwisle & Alexander, 1994), programs, and better qualified teacher (Sirin, S. R., 2005, as cited in Wang et al., 1993). All the methods mentioned have proven to be an important contributor in lowering the gap between the low and high SES students. Future programs should target on supporting the students at risk of failing school due to family SES, as the current system would lead to an intergenerational loop of diminishing results from families with lower SES (Sirin, S. R., 2005).

As children go through adolescence, the development of cognitive abilities allows a better understanding of their environment in new ways (Pahlke, E. & Hyde, J. S., 2016). Adolescence also indicates the beginning of a increase in socioemotional growth. Students at this age are more prone to develop internalizing issues (Pahlke, E. & Hyde, J. S., 2016, as cited in Graber, J., 2004). Also, single-sex school can limit the interactions with the other gender, resulting in a lack of experience and confidence after their school lives (Pahlke, E. & Hyde, J. S., 2016). The understanding of the potential of which single-sex education compared to coeducation better care for the students socioemotional growth will allow teachers to better support the overall well-being of the students (Pahlke, E. & Hyde, J. S., 2016).

I believe that through collaboration with other schools (preferably from the other sex) can single sex schools face the issues regarding the lack of interaction between the boys and girls, and also reap the claimed benefits of single-sex education.

1. MySchool https://www.myschool.edu.au/school/41147
2. Canterbury Boys High School Term 2 2017 newsletter https://canterburb-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/c/canterburb-h/newsletter/2017/6/ctn_term_2_2017_1498791612744.pdf
3. Canterbury Boys High School Term 1 2018 newsletter https://canterburb-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/c/canterburb-h/newsletter/2018/ctn_term_1_2018_1523249298112.pdf
4. Canterbury Boys High School Term 3 2018 newsletter https://canterburb-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/c/canterburb-h/newsletter/2018/CTN_Term_3_2018.pdf
5. Ersilia, M & Christina, S (2017) Bullying in schools: the state of knowledge and effective interventions, Psychology, Health & Medicine, 22:sup1, 240-253, DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2017.1279740
6. Hyde, J. S. (2014) The Gender Similarities Hypothesis, American Psychologist, 2005, Vol.60(6), p.581-592
7. Maria M. Ttofi & David P. Farrington (2010) Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying: a systematic and meta-analytic review
8. Milner, R. 2006. Pre-service teachers: Learning about cultural and racial diversity. Implications for urban education. Urban Education 41, no. 4: 343–75.
9. Pahlke, E. & Hyde, J. S. (2016) The Debate Over Single-Sex School. Child Development Perspectives, 1 June 2016, Vol.10(2), pp.81-86
10. Perry, L. B. & Mcconney, A. (2010) Does the SES of the School Matter? An Examination of Socioeconomic Status and Student Achievement Using PISA 2003. Teachers College Record, 2010, Vol.112(4), p.1137-1162
11. Santoro, N. (2009). Teaching in culturally diverse contexts: What knowledge about ‘self’ and ‘other’ do teachers need? Journal of Education for Teaching 35(1), 33-45.
12. Sirin, S. R. (2005). Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review of Research. 75(3), p. 417-453.
13. Sirin, S. R. (2005). Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review of Research. 75(3), p. 417-453.
14. Stein, J. A., Duke, R. L, Warren, J. I. (2006). Adolescent Male Bullies, Victims, and Bully-Victims: A Comparison of Psychosocial and Behavioral Characteristics.
15. Wong, I. W. (2018) Students from single-sex schools are more gender-salient and more anxious in mixed-gender situations: Results from high school and college samples. 13(12).

My only goal was to make my family proud of me. I grew up with a single mother and my twin brother, Jevon. It was hard growing up because my mother worked until late hours trying to provide for Jevon and I. My father popped up here and there, so I didn’t have a strong male presence guiding me throughout my adolescent life. Growing up had been a struggle.

Transitioning from Coney Island Prep Middle School to Coney Island Prep High School was tough from me. During middle school, I wasn’t your average A+ student or on honor roll after every marking period. I was slacking and it was hard for me to maintain my grades to just a B average. I would joke around in class, not take my classwork serious and would barely do any homework. I always focused on having fun rather than getting my work done. I managed to pass but it’s not what my parents expected of me. They knew that I was smart and capable of doing better.

After middle school, I felt guilty because I knew that I let them down. I reflected on my years throughout middle school and I learned that it’s not that I couldn’t do better but that I chose not to which is why I felt guilty. That summer going into Coney Island Prep high school, my grandparents had a talk with me about college. They told me that everyone in the family went to and graduated from college and that Jevon and I were next. They lectured me that college was important because it prepares me for my career and the real world.

In my freshman year, I multi-tasked between having fun and getting my work done. I took courses that were above my grades’ required courses which helped me gain confidence in my ability to do well because I knew I was able to take sophomore classes. I started to think high school was easier than people had told me. I got into athletics more and joined Coney Island Prep basketball team playing JV and varsity basketball. It was a great experience because I became close with the seniors and juniors helping me communicate more with my peers. I finished freshman year decent but that resulted in me being too comfortable and I fell off in my sophomore year. I slacked in a few classes in 10th grade. Some classes were challenging but I managed to push through but others I got lazy and stubborn just like how I was in middle school.

After attending my basketball teammates signing day and watch them go on stage to graduate, it motivated me to be just as successful as they were. A senior, who is now a freshman at SUNY Cortland and a very good friend of mine that was also on my basketball team, came to my College and Career Readiness Class and gave the class advice. He told us that he too did poorly his freshman and sophomore year but there was still time to make up for it junior and senior year. This gave me hope as I was in his exact same shoes.

Overall, I wish I took my high school career more seriously. If I focused more on my academics, it would’ve been easier and I would have felt more comfortable with my transcript. I understand the necessity to have strong starts and strong finishes, instead of weak starts and weak finishes. My academic mindset mirrors how I play ball: try to get the win at all costs. I understand that my grades directly impacts my future and career I want one day. I learned that no matter how many times I slipped up, it’s important to continue to learn from mistakes. After every setback, I had a major comeback and that’s who I am today.

There are two types of students: those who feel happy with more than 90 marks and those who feel happy with just passing marks. These grades are not based on cleverness or intelligence, no student is born perfect, only time shapes students. In this essay, I will focus on how to become a successful high school student.

Success has different definitions according to different students. For some having a perfect ‘A’ GPA is a success while achieving in sports and extracurriculars for few. However we define success, there is no easy way to achieve it. But I believe that with the right plan and discipline, anyone may achieve it.

First, to succeed in high school, we must be organized. With the advent of technology, we lost a precious gift – time. Smartphones made us as students unorganized. We sit to study and spend half of our time choosing which subject to start with then the next half choosing the material to study. Finally, they end up studying nothing. To avoid these happenings, we should be well organized. For example, we can maintain a diary to note down our day-to-day plans, make it very precise by including all the essential details, for example, and have a calendar to mark monthly goals and schedules. Having a proper plan and schedule makes us utilize the time properly and reduces distraction that leads to wasting time.

Second, we must dream big. We are the product of our thoughts. We should dream big and have greater thoughts to be successful. Have a higher purpose to live. Dream makes us desire something very unique and essential for our life. It ensures a high level of excitement, thus we stay highly focused. Therefore, we should be serious about dreaming big and improving the quality of our life. For example, find the reasons to get good grades. Make our parents happy and our co-mates admire. Be a positive example and a trendsetter. Do not be one among the crowd try being the one above the crowd. Dreaming big motivates us and makes us achieve more.

In addition, to be successful in high school, staying healthy is important. One who has health has hope, one that has hope has everything. A healthy body gives us a peaceful inner self, which makes us confident and more active the whole day. It is useful to schedule the eating time and integrate the diet with it. We as students should eat fruits and robust foods and avoid having foods with high oil content as it makes us lazy and reduces our work efficiency. As well as give our body proper time to rest. Wake up early and practice meditation, which increases our blood circulation and increases memory. This keeps us fresh and active, as well as gives us more time.

A useful habit is to do one task at a time and avoid multitasking. Like listening to songs while doing homework or doing an assignment while watching a favorite football show. Although it seems to us that it saves our time, in reality, it is not so. Multitasking reduces productivity and effectiveness. Moreover, studies have shown that multitasking can affect our memory and reduce IQ by 15 points. Time management is not about doing more things, it’s about doing more of the important things. So, doing homework or assignments with full concentration is the key to success.

Joining a club can also help to be successful in high school. It makes us social and builds our networking. It is a great opportunity to make new friends and meet more talented people, as well as learn new every day. It develops leadership traits. It develops soft skills like communication, attitude, and work ethic. This is the best way we can give back to society by helping our juniors to succeed. Joining a club enhances our extracurricular activity record so it looks good in our college application.

Being an all-rounder is also very important. We should not just be bookworms. Success in high school does not only refers to academic success but also to overall performance in all fields. For example, playing a favorite sport with a team can teach us teamwork and the confidence to face failure and the humbleness to celebrate our success, which in turn can improve our self-esteem. It also improves blood circulation and keeps us fit. If a student has an interest in music, he or she can try joining a music band or get involved in any kind of extra-curricular activity.

And finally, as students, we should choose our friends wisely. When choosing friends, it is important to prefer like-minded people and people who have higher goals and beliefs. This motivates and encourages us when we feel low or sad. People around us should have thirst for knowledge that should make us learn more things. We should not form a useless gang whose only goal is to enjoy and waste time; these kinds of friendships will help us in no way. We should find someone who will celebrate our success and supports us during our failure. A simple rule to get friends is to give what you expect. Friendship is all about to give and take kind of relationship. Be a good friend to get the best ones back.

There is no shortcut to reaching the top. Still getting successful does not demand more hard work, little smart work can do everything. Great people don’t do different things, they do things differently. Success requires discipline and consistency. Having a lifelong commitment to learning, not just the academic part, but the life skills too, can make us successful students as well as successful humans as a whole.

Not many people can honestly say that they are one hundred percent a ‘morning person’, and for those that identify as such, morning hardly ever means 4:30 or 5 a.m. Waking up this early in the morning is something that many high schoolers are required to do in order to make it to school on time. In this essay, I will explain why high schools should push their start times back so that classes begin later in the morning. Later start times for high schools are beneficial for the mental and physical health of students, lead to higher levels of student productivity, and benefit the overall economy, therefore, high schools should change their start times to later on in the morning.

One of the most important reasons why high schools should start later is that starting later in the morning has been shown to be better for the mental and physical health of high school students. According to Tim Goral, “As children age, particularly as they become adolescents, their circadian rhythms get delayed a little bit, and they require later bedtimes and later wake times. We know that these children have difficulty falling asleep before 11 p.m., and they need eight to ten hours of sleep per night to support optimal health” (Goral). Keeping these times in mind and doing the math, if a teenager falls asleep right at 11 o’clock and sleeps for a minimum of eight hours, the earliest they should be waking up is 7 a.m. However, most high schoolers are not able to do this, considering that the average U.S. high school starts between 7:30 and 8 a.m. If high school students were to get the minimum amount of sleep that they require, they would only have thirty minutes to an hour left to eat breakfast, get dressed, and commute to school. According to a study performed by the National Center for Education Statistics, “Over 10% of U.S. high schools start before 7:30 a.m., 42.5% start before 8 a.m., and only 14.4% start at 8:30 a.m.” (NCES 15). These early start times do not allow high school students sufficient time to get the minimum hours of sleep that they require to stay healthy.

Many teenagers in high school are sleep deprived because they are unable to achieve the amount of sleep that their bodies need. Sustained sleep deprivation is detrimental to the mental and physical health of high school students. Startschoollater.net reports: “Insufficient sleep in teens is associated with obesity, migraines, and immune system disruption and with health risk behaviors including smoking, drinking, stimulant abuse, physical fighting, physical inactivity, depression, and suicidal tendencies” (‘Wake Up Calls (Fast Facts)’). Students who attend high schools with later start times have been shown to have a decrease in these health issues; students who can sleep longer have been shown to have lower blood pressure levels, healthier cholesterol levels, and lower chances of being overweight compared to students who get less sleep (‘The Big Number: How 48 Minutes of Extra Sleep Helped These Teens’). A study done by researchers at the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also found that later high school start times led to major decreases in teenage substance abuse, depression, and consumption of caffeine (‘Wake Up Calls (Fast Facts)’).

Later school start times also lead to higher productivity levels from students. Due to the fact that early school start times lead to sleep deprivation, high school students are often fatigued when they get to class. Being fatigued leads students to have issues such as falling asleep in class and having difficulties focusing on the lesson. This means that the students are not fully learning and comprehending all the information that they are being taught and that they are more likely to perform poorly on homework assignments and tests. Starting high schools at later times would combat this issue because students would be more likely to be well-rested and alert in class. According to James Urton, a study done on high school sophomores by the University of Washington and the Salk Institute for Biological Research found that “once the school start time was moved up by 55 minutes, students’ average grades were 4.5% higher, and there was a decrease in tardiness and first-period absences” (Urton).

Additionally, moving the start times of high schools to later on is beneficial for the economy. A macroeconomic study done by Marco Hafner et al. with the RAND Corporation reported that “it has been found delaying school start times to 8:30 a.m. would have an economic gain of $8.6 billion after two years, which would outweigh the initial cost of moving start times” (Hafner et al.). Along with a monetary gain, there would be benefits regarding public health and the economy. Since students would be getting more sleep and would be less likely to be sleep deprived, the health issues, injuries, and accidents related to inadequate sleep in teenagers would decrease. In turn, this would save the economy more money and resources, as there would be a decrease in doctor visits and medical costs. Moving high school start times not only benefits students and schools but also benefits everyone.

Some sides argue that moving high schools to later start times is not a good idea because it may interfere with after-school activities like organized sports or part-time jobs. These are good points, but it has been reported by the National Sleep Foundation: “Despite all these concerns, most districts that have changed their start time have experienced few problems with regard to athletics. Practice times are rescheduled, and in some cases, lights are installed so practice can run a little later” (‘Eight Major Obstacles to Delaying School Start Times’). Regarding potential issues with after-school jobs, the National Sleep Foundation found that “studies have shown that employers indicate a change in start times has not affected their business or the number of hours their student employees can work” (‘Eight Major Obstacles to Delaying School Start Times’). If high schools are moved to have later start times, schedules with after-school activities will need to be adjusted, but it is doable.

Changing high school start times to later on in the mornings will have positive impacts on the health of high school students, will provide a boost to their productivity levels, and will benefit the nation’s economy. Next time you hear a high schooler complaining about having to wake up early, remember the negative health impacts that waking up too early has on their health. I urge you to get involved with your local school system and help push for changes regarding high school start times. It will not only benefit high school students and teachers but you as well.

The classroom environment offers positive insight and new ideas but lurches with cheating scandals and bold noncompliances. To ameliorate the presence of dishonesty in the classroom, many schools implement honor codes with the sole purpose intended to cultivate integrity. The honor code system has been in place since the founding of various American high schools. Throughout the years it has been evident that honor code policies may not prove effective, requiring revision to ensure the acceptance of these policies as well as perseverance to give the student body a sense of responsibility and create a fair and equal learning environment.

The most effective honor codes are those implemented by students who stay loyal to the school’s policies and influence their peers to emulate their actions. One area of concern for schools while enforcing such codes is opposition amongst the student population. Many students seem to form their own opinions about specific directions and policies the school board enforces. Students who feel strongly against the official rules of the facility may be prone to rebel which turns into mass chaos for school officials. “Encouraging student involvement in developing community standards’, makes students stick to their promise if they opine in the processing of a strict policy for themselves and their peers. Further, this causes a chain of action in student behavior: if peers see others obeying the rules they are more inclined to follow them as well. Not only does the involvement of students prove beneficial to the school, but it also helps students to build on their character skills. Holding a position of authority as a student instills expertise in leadership and responsibility. The authority of Students [part of a] Honor Committee, requires interaction between peers and school staff which builds vital communication skills while doubling as an opportunity to lead the management of school policies. The involvement of the student body generates good ethical behavior and morals to live up to as an individual which will benefit them in their future.

A just educational environment where students are held responsible for their actions provides every student with an equal opportunity to excel and succeed. The lessons students learn in school are engraved in their minds and continue to linger through every interaction they make. Therefore, if a student takes it upon themself to find a way to cheat through an assignment, they have to understand that such misdemeanors come with consequences. The use of explicit “punishments ranging from suspension to expulsion’, trains students to act in order and to the ideals of school policies. Without an appropriate punishment, students would never change their unpure ways of academic living. Further, if students are not punished, it would be unfair to students who abide by the rules because other students continue to leech off their educational intelligence. The consequences that are put in place for issues like this are deemed as a “reasonable sanction’, amongst more than half the school population. It is vital to ensure that every student understands the effects of their actions so they learn to thrive off only themselves in the real world.

The honor code system holds a vital role in the structure of various school systems, although revisions of these edicts are necessary in order to maintain this authority which allows for the growth of students morally and cognitively. The country’s school systems have the ability to flourish once students live up to the ideals of school honor codes. These students can help our nation transform into an ethical society that can remain everlasting for generations to come.