Stress in High School Students Story aired: Friday, August 19, 2005
As the summer winds to a close, high school students around the country are beginning their annual rituals, shopping, gossiping about who broke up over the summer, preparing their first-day-of-school outfits, and, according to some parents and educators, stressing out.
They stress out, many say, because of the high, sometimes unreasonable, demands placed on young teenagers.
They take advanced placement classes, participate in shows and clubs, play sports, and organize charity benefits. They yearn to attend the country's top colleges and they do all this, many say, so one day they can get a good job.
That intense pressure has caused some parents and educators to do what some see as a losing battle to take some of the stress out of high school.
Among those parents is Donna Testa, whose two sons Zeke, a sophomore, and Corey, a senior, attend Wellesley high school in Wellesley Massachusetts. Click the listen link above to hear her thoughts on her kids' stress.
But an educator asks, if they're not working hard, what are they doing?
Guests:
Donna Testa, parent
Robert Weintraub, Headmaster of Brookline High School
