A number of schools across the United States require students to complete summer projects. These summer projects are to assure the school system that you are continuing to learn over summer break. I feel that this is a valid thing to require us to do, as students we forget about half of what we learned during the school year over the summer. We never think to revisit our old work while we are enjoying the summer sun. Students tackle so much during a school year, homework, test, and projects; we deserve to choose our own way of learning during the summer, we would be much comfortable doing something we find fun and interesting.

Every grade school student can not wait to get through the year; the words "summer" are in the back of our heads and we just can't wait for it to get here. We get a huge break from school, no homework, no test, and no teachers, but yet you still have that one project you are required to do over break. I personally feel that we, as students, should be able to choose what to do for a summer project. Its our break so why not? School can be very stressful, especially as you get to high school. You are faced with tons of work and projects during the school year that teachers give you, for classes you are required to take. For once, Teenagers and other grade school students should be able to choose something they enjoy learning about.

Teachers don't know what interest us, what our favorite subject is, or the time we have over break to complete things like this. I feel teachers should write up guidelines or specific requirements for our project. Then, let us students find something educational over the summer to create a project about. By doing this we still get a say so in how our summer goes, but the teacher still approves of the project and makes sure its helping us learn. How could you manage to have fun when you have a huge project about history, that you have no interest in. Would I do it? No, I would be to wrapped up in summer to even think about the uninteresting project my teacher assigned me.

Students deserve to choose something that they enjoy learning about; we would most likely do it then. All students would have different projects and could teach others through what they learned over the summer. We go to school 8-9 months out of the year, and we are constantly told what to do, and how to do it whether we like it or not. Imagine picking out something you love, maybe you love the sun and learning about the weather. Perfect, you could do a project about summer and how the seasons change. Maybe you love animals and you are going to the National Zoo this summer; you could easily write an essay about your experience and facts you learned while visiting. Students find ways to make things fun, and sometimes teachers take that away from us, not meaning too it is just their job.

In conclusion, students need to have a stand on how their summer goes, considering it is our summer break. We should be able to find the fun in summer and somehow make an educational experience out of it, without an adult telling us exactly what to do. It's time to enjoy summer without the stress of a teachers assignment. Our brains discard a lot of information over the summer, but with a student picked summer project we would be able to keep our knowledge in a fun way that still meets the standards of the project.