The disparity between those motivated and those unmotivated to achieve more in life is all too prevalent at South Tahoe High School. A greater focus needs to be placed on how to motivate and stress the importance of high school and higher education. A lack of emphasis at STHS as to how graduating benefits one’s future is evident: many cannot fathom or achieve that motivation on their own due to rough home lives and other extraneous barriers. This heightened emphasis on the less motivated is vital for the well-being of youth in South Lake Tahoe, as education unequivocally enhances quality of life.

Graduating high school is an achievement taken largely for granted. The passage of a diploma into one’s hands is the introduction of a tool that broadens potential future endeavors tenfold, and with that comes the benefits of heightened prosperity. While there is some nebulousness around whether money can or cannot buy happiness, money’s provision of peace of mind is indisputable. As one walks the campus at South Tahoe High School, it is prevalent that many of the students lack a sense of depth as to how important schooling is. We cannot allow this town’s youth to fall into the socioeconomic pit that is a life without the aid of qualified education.

Many personal factors hinder one’s ability to self-motivate: generational ties to poverty reflect heavily on a child. But university is highly achievable from STHS, and we can afford to stress college on those less motivated without detracting from the education of students who already strive for success. Motivation is a trait that is difficult to establish intrapersonally: STHS and the community alike need to employ ways to inspire achievement through education: the success of the students depend on it.

Jackson Kuzmik

South Lake Tahoe, Calif.