At my school there are no sports teams, just academics. There are clubs like basketball and soccer club, but they in no way involve academics. The majority of students get inducted into National Honor Society, which is an organization that acknowledges students who establish excellence in character, scholarship, service, and leadership. There is a stigma against not being inducted into NHS, not receiving a 5 on an AP exam, or not obtaining a 3.5 or higher GPA. My high school has the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which provides internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and it is recognized by many universities worldwide. It is standard to receive the IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma by senior year of high school, and there are societal repercussions if one does not receive the diploma.
Social stigmas like these can lead teenagers to feel inadequate, especially when their close friends are receiving grades like this. Many students look down upon other students who have trouble in school, which usually leads to them transferring to a different school, or causes feelings of unintelligence. My high school is one of the top ten rated in the nation, but with these labels come great responsibilities and negative side-effects. Students measure their intelligence or achievements based on their test scores or their peer’s achievements.
My school is also majority liberal. While we profess to being open-minded, we shun many of those who are in favor of President Trump, or who are more conservative in mindset. High school is supposed to prepare you for life, and arguing every time someone claims conservatism or liberalism is not how the “real” world is. Politics are a natural part of growing up, and teenagers tend to develop their own political views during high school. We need to learn to agree to disagree when it comes to politics, and realize that everyone’s views differ from our own.
Grades do not define you, test scores do not define your intelligence, and political views do not determine your moral standing. As long as you are trying to the best of your capabilities, you are intelligent. Grades and test scores do not measure your self worth. Once we learn that no one will ever agree wholeheartedly with you, and that people will not listen to you if you tear down their arguments, there will be growth opportunities for more intellectual, scholarly conversations and debates, preparing us for the world ahead.
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