With summer approaching, most students are excited to have a break from classes and homework. However, some students don’t get a break at all. There are several classes at BHS that have summer homework and even summer tests, as a standard.
Classes like AP US History and CIS Literature require summer work so that they are able to cover all the necessary material in a condensed amount of time. Students taking these classes are given textbooks, worksheets, readings and other materials and assignments the week before school gets out to prepare them for their summer work.
“We had to do five chapters on our own time so that’s about 100 textbook pages of reading,” Said Sophmore Taylor McNitt, “Then we had to fill out about 30 notecards for each chapter and then fill out a worksheet. I procrastinated until the second to last week of summer. “
In these classes, the purpose of summer homework is to save you from stress during the school year. The class would be much too stressful if you had to pack any more work in. Although the summer work is necessary, that doesn’t mean all the students like it.
“[When] a lot of kids [find out about the summer homework they] are just like ‘Nope, I’m not taking this class.’” Said McNitt.
Some students are very against summer work while other don’t mind, and understand the importance of getting it done.
“I really don’t care, it’s summer homework and I’m supposed to do it to take the class. And it’ll give me something to do over the summer when I’m bored. So, I’m actually alright with it” says Freshman Kris Hamann.
While the initial idea of homework in the summer sounds unappealing, once finished with the class, students understand the utility of summer homework and the reward of finishing the class makes it worth it.
“I think it’s worth taking it because you’re learning college material and getting college credits, if you can pass the test, for free as long as you’re willing to put the time into it.” Said McNitt
