Last chance for senior motivation

Leslie Correa, Reporter

Being a Senior at East Leyden High School second semester is all about getting straight As. Not only because it’s our last semester of our high school career but getting straight As at Leyden means we get out of taking finals. But that doesn’t work for everyone. If you’re taking an AP class you automatically get out of the second semester final due to the AP exam. This gives the different group of students completely different emotions.

Some seniors, with more AP classes, aren’t really motivated to keep the A in the class because they’re putting all their focus on the AP tests themselves.  Senior Blake Thompson, who is currently taking four AP classes, says, referencing second semester, “I’m not going to try to focus on getting As, but make sure that I study for the AP exam and do well.”

The seniors who opt to take a lighter class load are motivated to do better since they don’t have to worry about the AP exams. Another senior, Alyssa Molina, who is taking a single AP class, says, “I’m motivated to pass most my classes with As, so in case I don’t pass a class with an A, I have the more time to study for that class and I’ll be less stressed out.”

There are also those students who have a class load comprised of both honors and regular classes who use their As to relieve the stress of finals, so they can focus more energy on the AP exams. Senior, Katherine Hinojosa, says, “I want to do good in my honors classes because I would like to have that extra time to study for the AP exams.”

On the teacher end they really aren’t affected by whether or not seniors get an A. Ms. Laura Scafidi, P.E. teacher, believes, “ Everyone is motivated by different ways. Mr. Jerome Patt, math teacher, says “It may motivate seniors who otherwise would get a bad case of ‘senioritis’ I have seen it motivate some of the seniors I have taught.  Others could not be motivated by anything!”

In my opinion, I think that taking the time to pass my classes with As is great because I won’t have to study for the finals and I will be able to focus more on the two AP classes that I’m taking. The stress level that I have achieved during first semester is something I don’t ever want to endure again. The rule of not having to take a final when passing with As gives me the motivation that I need not to fall into “senioritis.”