By Jennifer Telecky, Assistant Principal, High School
The 2017-18 school year has come to an end and summer is in full swing. Summer is a time for kids and families to take a step away from the hussle and bussle of the busy school year and take some time to relax. While downtime, rest and relaxation are all good and necessary, it is important for kids to continue to stay the course, working on goals and looking ahead to what they want to accomplish during the upcoming school year. Whether their goals have to do with improving academic skills, getting better at sports and activities or building a resume, summer is an excellent time to get started on these goals. Here are some suggestions using the framework on Hutchinson Public School’s belief of Excellence in Academics, Activities and Character.
Academics
The school year can be a busy time with hectic schedules and sometimes the things that you want to get to are pushed to the backburner. The question then is, What are some things you can do now to alleviate some of the school year stress? This is a question that can be answered in many ways, but as a parent of high school aged students, ACT preparation comes to mind. There are a variety of places to find resources, but one place to start is online at www.act.org. So, instead of trying to find time to work through all ACT practice tutorials during the year, I would suggest getting started by creating and following a summer practice schedule.
Activities
At Hutchinson High School, approximately 50% of our students are involved in activities. Many students use the summer as a time to build and improve skills, meet goals and to get ahead in their individual sports and activities. There are many opportunities for joining a team, club or organization. For athletes, one suggestion is to participate in Hutch’s Strength and Conditioning program. Everyday, about 300 athletes in grades 6-12 come to the weight room to work to become “bigger, faster, and stronger.” It is definitely not too late to join this group.
Character
Many students spend the summer working at a job. While the student’s main goal of gaining and maintaining employment is to earn money, this is also a time to build skills and show an employer what they are made of. Showing up each and every day on time as scheduled and working hard can really help to show who they are. This can prove to be invaluable in the future when it’s time to apply for colleges, scholarship applications and as a reference for a future job. If a paid position is not what you are looking for, summer is also the perfect time to volunteer. Volunteering is not only great for the organization or person being helped, it is great for the person volunteering.College and scholarship applications often have a place to showcase your volunteer efforts. Volunteering is a great way to show your character.
