Success (Opinion)

Success has been a program that has been part of our school for some time now. Success is a program that goal and purpose is to get students ready for their world after highschool. When asked why Success is important Annette Holland a Success teacher responded, “I absolutely feel that Success helps kids plan and prepare for their future life after high school. Students learn skills, discover resources, and create a plan for realizing their dreams. Even when students change their minds or are uncertain about what career path they want, we give them the tools to explore wisely and help them discover who they are, what they want, and how to get there.”

A lot of students don’t like this program and claim that they would rather have their homeroom than learn pointless information. But is the information Success is teaching really pointless? In Success, you learn many important things that you can use later in life. For a long time, people have complained about schools not teaching them skills they will use later in life, well that is what success is doing. Success is also about helping you look for careers that you might want to pursue in the future. Holland says, I absolutely LOVE helping students figure out their career path. High School is such an exciting time for young people because they get the chance to make awesome decisions about their futures. I love being on the journey with them as they explore career, major, and school options. 

The question arises on whether students genuinely dislike the class or just don’t like their homeroom being taken away. On this subject, Holland says   I believe that students resist the Success program is usually one or more of the following reasons.

1. They don’t like losing the opportunity to complete homework during homeroom. 
2. My response to this is that for ONE QUARTER, they must use time management skills outside of school time in order to complete assignments. If they plan to attend college, enter the workforce, or enter the military they will have to manage their time, so why not practice now. I also say that they should take advantage of having one half-hour per/day to just focus on themselves and their future.
3. They simply don’t want to think about their future because they have no idea what they want and they have no desire to figure it out. Why not learn the skills to figure out what they want, so that they can use them when they’re ready?
4. They believe that they already have everything figured out, so they don’t need the course. I don’t think many people, even myself, have their lives totally figured out. Why not keep your mind open and explore the many options and opportunities that young people have as high school graduates?

No matter what your opinions are on success, you can’t deny that you left that class knowing more about your future than you did before. 

Success, 2019, Annette Holland, BUHS