Putting the pencil to the paper: The life of a student scholar 

Public school sounds like a chore — waking up every morning to sit for seven hours, doing nothing but work. However, some students take pride in their academic achievements.

Mason Boley and Barbara Sheehan are seniors who take their schoolwork seriously. From paying attention to studying hard, these two focus on their lives after school and how working hard can help them achieve their goals.

Both having attended GSP (Governor’s Scholar Program) this past summer, Mason and Barbara have been recognized for their academic achievements by being accepted into this prestigious program.

“Taking my education seriously helped me get into GSP this summer, where I got to be surrounded by so many cool people for five weeks,” says Barbara. “I had a photo-esque view of Saturn through a telescope twice my size, which was one of the highlights.”

As well as GSP, Barbara also takes her hard work to other aspects of her school life. Being president of Student Council as well as being a captain on the Academic Team, she utilizes her intelligence to try and better GRC as a whole.

“I have made lots of friends and have lots of fun on the Academic Team,” says Barbara. “ Also, knowing how to articulate my beliefs is important as Student Council president.”

Academics also help Mason in other aspects of his life. By prioritizing different assignments, schoolwork helps him with his time management skills. 

“With a difficult course load I have to make sure there is time set aside to do homework and study weekly, but I also make sure I have time to relax and have fun,” says Mason.

Probably the most important aspect of the high school experience is preparing us for life after high school. Mason and Barbara are both getting ready for college, and attribute a lot of that preparation to working hard in school.

“I am a firm believer in the statement, ‘you get out what you put in,’ and I feel this is applicable to education,” says Mason. “Taking education seriously allows you to gain a wealth of knowledge that will be useful in college or whatever else your future holds. People recognize when you take your education seriously and it can lead to more opportunities to serve your community or even receive scholarships.”

While it may seem tiresome at the moment, it pays to work hard. Scholarships and opportunities will be presented to you when you take your work a little more serious. 

But even through struggles with school work and even standardized tests, there are some helpful faces around the schools. 

“Staying after to talk with teachers is really helpful,” says Barbara. “Our teachers care about us and want to support us; don’t hesitate to ask them for help when you need it.”

Whatever your life may look like, taking your school work seriously can only benefit you in the future. From being the first person in your family to go to college to utilizing skills from education in the workforce, academics benefit all aspects of your life.