Wondering what every student needs to be successful in high school? The PRHS School Counseling Department has you covered! Each counselor was asked for tips and tricks to student success in high school. See below for their responses.
When asked about the best advice for succeeding in high school, lead counselor Ashley Lawson said, “High School is your opportunity to explore your interests. Take a variety of elective courses to help you determine what you might want to pursue as a future career. Have fun, join extracurricular activities and learn everything you can.”
New to PRHS this year, counselor Tanisha Anderson said, “Students should know that high school will be one of the most memorable times. Students must use this time to think about their futures and the goals they want to accomplish. High school can be fun, but it also can be challenging if you do not stay focused. It is vital to make sure you are staying on top of your grades because it is hard to come back once you mess up. Time management is very important in high school because most students will have a heavy workload. It is important to know how to manage your time, because you do not want to spend hours doing homework right after school. Many students tell me that they stay up late working on assignments. That is because they do not have good time management skills. Making a schedule or a to-do list may help you manage your time better."
Counselor Cassidy Lippert added, “I would say that the most important thing is to get organized. Find a system that works for you, whether that is a planner, a calendar on your phone, just something to help you keep up with what needs to get done. When you start getting behind, it gets harder and harder for students to get caught up. Another important thing is to build a relationship with your teachers and counselor. We are all here to help you and want you to ask for help when you need it. Also, find something that you are passionate about or interested in. It can be a sports team, a PRHS club, through your church, a community service or volunteer opportunity, or even a job. Having something besides school is so important and finding things that you are interested in can help you meet people who might share similar interests.”
Also new to PRHS this year, counselor Allie Green said, “I recommend reaching out to teachers about tutoring opportunities. Asking questions and getting one-on-one help with a teacher can really help students stay on top of their work! Our club fair at the beginning of the school year is a great way to learn about different ways to get involved on campus! There is something for everyone here!”
Counselor Bryan James added, “Students need to know that high school is the beginning of their career. They also need to know that colleges are going to look at their GPA from 9th to 11th grade to make a decision if they are the right fit for their school, so making good grades is extremely important. Time management is very important. It is imperative that students use their time wisely. Pay attention to deadlines and try to complete assignments ahead of the scheduled time. If students balance their time wisely, they won’t get behind in their assignments.”
Need to see a school counselor this summer? One of the counselors will be here every day the school is open in the summer. Students who would like to meet with a counselor over the summer should email their counselor to set up an appointment as they are each working different days. During summer, counselors will be enrolling new students and working on schedules for next school year. See the School Counseling page for more help and counselor's email addresses.
Written by Sampada Bastola-11th grade student
