Although some parents may look at summer as just a break from school, it really is so much more to students. It’s a time we get to spend without the constant stress of exams, homework, or extracurriculars. It’s a time when we are able to fully enjoy life, whether it be from traveling to a new country, hanging out with friends, or staying home to reinvent ourselves.
In our current schedule, we end our 2024-2025 school year on June 17th and begin our 2025-2026 year on September 2nd. Which leaves us with seventy-seven days to enjoy our summer, or in my opinion, not enough days. I think it is also important to note that this year we are ending at a seemingly late time compared to other schools. Especially since we end up starting school at the same time as everyone else, despite being let out late. The finals for underclassmen fall on a Friday and Monday, which is also very inconvenient for many students. With all the benefits that the summertime brings to students, we deserve more, and it should be heavily considered to extend our scheduled summer break.
Summer is a great opportunity for students to explore who they are through hobbies and trying out new things. During the school year, many kids have to push aside their interests due to the huge time commitment to school. With this restraint removed, students are able to freely dedicate as much time as needed to their passions. In my personal experience, I love to read, but unfortunately during the school year that passion is neglected due to how much time I have to focus on schoolwork. The time that I used to spend solely on school is used to read books during the summer, which helps improve my mood. Overall, allowing students the time to immerse themselves into their passions helps improve their mental health and personal growth.
Mental health is an extremely important thing to focus on when it comes to students. One unfortunate thing many kids face is burn out, which is when a student experiences constant stress from school causing them to feel emotionally and mentally drained. Students who often challenge themselves in their course load or have outside pressure to do well in school are easily susceptible to burn out, which is why summer is such an important time for students. It gives us around two months to rejuvenate both mentally and physically from school, creating a healthy boundary between our needs and our academic expectations. “Summer gives me time to recover my interests and regain my sense of self, which is really beneficial to my mental health,” said junior Maddy Goyne.
The summer also gives opportunities for community-building and volunteering experiences. Spending time giving back to the community can be very difficult during a busy school year. The summer gives students the time to volunteer. This year, members of the Science Academy were offered the chance to volunteer at their summer STEM camp for younger kids. It is three weeks long and focuses on getting kids interested in different science topics like coding and manufacturing. They could also volunteer to help replant native species through Havertown’s environmental action programs, something not available in the colder seasons. These experiences can even benefit kids for their upcoming school year, when it comes to clubs and honors societies involving volunteer hours.
Not only can kids volunteer more, but they can also focus on their job. A lot of students at Haverford are employed, but work only a few times per week due to school. Over the summer they are able to work more, which helps them become more independent and prepare them for life after they graduate by giving them the responsibility of handling their own schedule.
Also, with the nice weather that comes with summer, kids can spend more time outside soaking up the vitamin D from the sun, as well as increasing their physical activity. Instead of being stuck in a building for around seven hours sitting at a desk, they are able to go on walks, bike rides, or hang out with friends. Not only does physical activity help their body health, it also helps their mental health, as exercise releases endorphins which increases happiness.
The benefits of summer are often overlooked, but it truly is a crucial time for students to recover from the school year and grow themselves. Although lengthening summer break might seem difficult to achieve, if accomplished I think we will see many improvements in Haverford students’ wellbeing and attitude about school.
