Why Are High Schools Important

Many people question the importance of high school. In my opinion, high schools are vital for many reasons. High school helps to forge the path to college, as well as to develop each individual as a learner. Throughout high school, I was given lessons in the form of my classes, but it helped me to get the experience I needed in learning everyday skills too. I am a learner in many different ways. Not only did I learn the subject matter in my books, but I also learned to be a citizen in society.
First and foremost, the foundation of a great high school is great teachers. I was blessed with many great teachers, but I had one teacher that stood out amongst the others. In the classroom, Mrs. Adams set high expectations for her students, had clear …show more content…
Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The National Honor Society requires service to the community, school, or other organizations. I was also a member of the Spanish National Honor Society, which is an academic honor society focused on Spanish language excellence in secondary education. I was involved with Varsity Football Cheerleading and Westfield Competition Cheerleading all four years of high school. As well as being a cheerleader for my high school, I was an All-American Cheerleader my sophomore, junior, and senior year. I was involved in a few extracurricular activities too, which included YoungLife and Best Buddies. YoungLife is a faith based outreach organization that focuses on building positive relationships between high school students and leaders. Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I also volunteered my time outside of school through my church, Northview, and my school’s service leadership class, where I dedicated 40 hours of my free time to serving the community. For this class, I volunteered in a second grade classroom three times a week after …show more content…
In order for me reach my full potential, it was necessary that I did not give in to the peer pressure that came with being a high school student. I showed resilience and grit when developing an alcohol and drug-free lifestyle in all aspects of life – at home, at work, and during leisure hours. Supportive friends and family played a huge role in this. It was also significant to develop a structured schedule. Developing large, expanded goals was necessary too. And last but not least, it was essential to develop spirituality. I had an amazing support group that I gained through the opportunities aforementioned, which included my friends, family, and team. Living an alcohol and drug free lifestyle allowed me to become a good example – a good role model. A role model is defined as a person who serves as an example of the values, attitudes, and behaviors associated with a role. I became a role model in many areas of my life because I had a wide array of leadership opportunities and accomplishments. I was the Chapter President of Best Buddies at Westfield High School. Also, I was the Varsity Captain for Cheerleading. I was a WyldLife leader, which is an extension of YoungLife for middle schoolers. Aside from these leadership roles, I was selected to attend the Best Buddies Leadership Conference, the Colts Leadership Challenge Kickoff, the Harbor Back to School Tour, and the Hoosier Crossroads Conference Leadership and