It’s essential to integrate the four pillars of education: Academics, Athletics, Cultural Activities and Career Counseling & Support to create life-long learners, who strive to contribute to the society. Find out how these four elements play a role in high school education.

High school is the place where students emerge from their cocoons and discover themselves. They take important decisions that will change the course of their life in the coming years. It’s essential that a school provides students with all the support and offers several avenues to help them explore, emerge and fly.

The four elements that decide the success of high school education are Academics, Athletics, Cultural Activities and Career Counseling & Support.

1. Why Academic Success Matters?

Academic success is more than merely securing high grades. It lays the foundation for life-long learning and instills the spirit of learning in a student. It is strongly linked to favorable outcomes. Students who are academically successful in high school have a greater chance of securing admission in their favorite branch of study.

Later on in life, they are more likely to be in stable, productive jobs which place them in a position to contribute to society. Studies state that teens who secure good grades have higher self-esteem, are unlikely to be depressed, socially inclined and do not fall prey to drug and alcohol abuse.

Be it best academic high school in New York, it guides students on the path of academics and provide them with the right resources to help them stay focused and interested in their subjects.

2. Role of Athletics in Shaping Students

Athletics have been part and parcel of high school curriculum in New York, for several years. Today, almost each and every high school student of both genders takes part in one sport or the other. Though students participate in team events and games because of their inherent interest in the game, Athletics offers several other significant benefits for students.

Here are some ways that athletics benefit high school students.

• The Pride in Representing your Team: Students who participate in a team event learn the pride of being part of a group and working together for the betterment of the team. This nurtures the sense of doing and being a part of the community, later on in life.
• Improved Fitness Levels: Training or participating in an athletic event helps students overcome obesity and other lifestyle issues.
• Persistence, Patience & Practice: High school students learn these three life values just by taking part in a sport. These values help them succeed later on in college and life.
• Build Better Relationships: Nothing binds together students like being on the same team. They learn to build positive relationships.
• Bring out the Leader in them: Athletics plays a vital role in nurturing students to develop leadership skills. This helps them to tackle any difficult situations in life.

3. Cultural Activities Nurture Creativity

Cultural activities are essential to developing the student’s creativity and lateral thinking. They help a student to become an all-rounder. Participation in cultural activities like drama, recitals, music, dance and art clubs helps students explore their innate creativity and teaches them to think out of the box.

Schools in New York state that the benefits of cultural activities are immense. They enhance the overall personality of a student, help to gain self-confidence, develop specialized skills, increased opportunities and even help in improving the academic grades of a student.

High schools must offer regular cultural activities to students to help them become well-rounded individuals.

4. Career Counseling & Support – A Guide for Right Decisions

Today’s high school children live in exciting times. They have increased exposure and the opportunities before them are boundless. To help them take the right decisions both in their career and in personal life, they need the right guidance and support.

Adolescents are highly reluctant to discuss the issues they face with their parents. This is where the role of a high school career counselor is invaluable. Be it best academic high school in New York or anywhere in the world, it will have counselors and career experts to help students make the right decision.

These four elements are essential in shaping a student. At a high school, students are on the threshold of their adult life. So, it’s the responsibility of schools to provide students with the four pillars of education and guide them in the right direction.