Are Schools Burning Students Out?

Working Hard or Hardly Working? Sophomore Pierson Guenther finishes strong before a week off for Spring Break. Many students at VHS and at other schools across the country are feeling like they’re getting burned out from school. 

We’re not even half way through the second semester, and students throughout schools and districts across the country are experiencing primarily negative feelings over workload, mental health, and their overall classroom experience. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health struggles within adolescents continues to increase, with approximately 40% of students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and 20% left contemplating death by suicide.

Even those students who are known for their cheery disposition and attitude feel the strain when it comes to first and second semester and the workloads that follow. Stella Nackos, a senior from Vashon Island High School, is known for her optimistic attitude and studious nature, speaks in regards to the differences between first and second semester classes and workload.

“The first semester has a higher workload and there’s more pressure to really finish strong… especially because you’re sending in your first term grades to your colleges. So that has definitely been a big stressor,” Nackos stated.

“The workload for most grades stays pretty even throughout the year, but maybe a tiny bit lighter during the second semester.”

Almost every school provides in-service days for teachers and breaks for both students and faculty, typically around the major holidays. The University of Connecticut, Edutopia, and the National Library of Medicine, have performed studies to verify how school breaks are essential for student development, mental health, and academic performance. They provide necessary relief from daily pressures, allowing adolescent brains to recharge, reduce stress and fatigue, boost social skills, and boost overall concentration and productivity. Nackos believes that breaks from school are a requirement, and is looking forward to it.

“Breaks are a good time to reset and get through that moment, especially on Vashon… It’s so dark and rainy, so getting through those months, February and March, are kind of hard… It’s nice having a break right before that,” she shared.

A common misconception is that breaks from school must be spent idle or doing nothing, but that is simply not the case. It’s actually quite common for students to do things that they’re already passionate about, or explore new interests and hobbies. Cash Requa, a sophomore at VHS is always trying new things.

“One time I tried to write a screen play over winter break,” Requa said.

Additionally, Requa is fascinated by philosophy, construction, and movies. He plans to use all these skills in his future, where he hopes to direct movies.

Will Marczewski is a sophomore from Cherry Creek High School, located in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Marczewski describes school as being a “pressure cooker,” a place where stress builds up until students lose their minds. Even though his school has guidance counselors and monthly surveys delivered to students in hopes of establishing meaningful relationships as well as check-ins, Marczewski doesn’t put too much thought into them.

“I don’t really care about using them [counselors/surveys], but if I did, I may not be the most comfortable,” Marczewski stated.

In addition to a rather tense schooling environment, the district provides no mental health days, but also piles on homework for the weekend. Talkspace, an organization focused on mental health, has proven that rest days are beneficial for students since they boost their academic progress, reduce stress and anxiety, and allow students time for self reflection.

“[This] impacts stress because when you should be relaxing, you have to do school work. There is not really a growth opportunity, it’s more… extra work we need to do in our own free time,” Marczewski stated.

High school twenty years ago was incredibly different. Even though the job description remains the same: to educate students, there is a vastly different work load, learning system, and expectation. Allon Hochbaum, a professor at University of California’s Irvine campus, can’t remember any specific stressors from high school, but notes how “some assignments were challenging or frustrating for me, like essay writing and programming.” In regards to college students, he believes that the workload in college is significantly more demanding compared to high school.

“My main stressors in college were from courses– the level of work assigned was much higher than in high school and required much more high level, sustained thinking and focus. I think college students today have many more tasks to coordinate,” Hochbaum mentioned.

Similarly to the modern day student, there is extreme pressure to do well for standardized tests including the SAT and ACT. Even though more schools are moving away from requiring these tests on college applications, many students still find it beneficial, and college counselors are still recommending taking them.

“Gearing up for college applications was stressful– SAT prep, personal essays,” he continued.

Many students across the country agree with this. Gus Weber, a junior from Vashon Island High school, mentions how he is also impacted through his college journey. Weber plans to pursue further education after his high school career.

“The college process is an emotional rollercoaster that has challenged me, but in the end will (hopefully) benefit me and allow me to reap what I sow,” Weber stated.

Even though learning looks quite different now, for technology shapes the way content reaches our minds, the social pressure of academics remain. Hochbaum said how he spent a lot of time figuring out who he was, what defined him as a person, and what things he truly enjoyed doing. Technology also played a role within academics. Today, computers and other mobile devices are used for almost everything. Students at Vashon Island High School use school issued Chromebooks to complete more than 50% of their assignments. Hochbaum still completed most of his assignments on paper when in college, since he didn’t even have his own computer.

“…Students have constant communication with their peers, courses often demand online activity, and because of the constant contact, plans– whether course related, like updating HW assignments, or social– are constantly in flux and students are expected to stay updated on them. I think the need to manage so many things simultaneously can be mentally exhausting, and I imagine this is a major source of stress for students,” Hochbaum said.

With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), classes, schools, and districts nationwide are quickly scrapping together new policies and punishments. Many students, including some of Hochbaum's, mention how they really enjoy using AI to create short podcasts out of lecture content to help them listen whether they’re cleaning up their dorms or on the go.

“...The current ‘always-on’ culture enabled by technology has made college level learning more accessible, but at the same time there is less structure to the process, which can be difficult to manage unless students have strong motivation to learn,” Hochbaum explains.

With schools being actively involved in students' lives each and every day, they need to be taking the appropriate steps to ensure that each and every student feels cared for and safe during the day. The "pressure cooker" environment of modern education is reaching a boiling point. While technology has made information more accessible than ever, it has also dismantled the boundaries between school and rest, creating an "always-on" culture that leaves little room for recovery. As mental health struggles continue to rise among adolescents, it is becoming clear that academic success cannot be sustained without a fundamental shift in how we prioritize student well-being. To ensure that students like Stella, Will, and Gus don't just survive their education but thrive within it, schools must move beyond simple surveys and begin integrating genuine rest and mental health support into the very fabric of the academic calendar.