Summers in High school are some of the best times in a persons life. The summer gives students the time to relax and unwind from all the hard work they put into the previous school year. Some schools over the summer want their students to continue their learning by giving them a project. Summer projects should be designed by the students because it gives the students a sense of motivation, students can develop social and creativity skills, and a students extracurricular activities wont be affected.

Firstly, motivation will be developed if students designed their own summer projects. Its proven that most students need motivation in order to do their work. By having students design their own projects they will have the motivation to finish, due to it putting forth their own interests onto the project instead of teachers interests. In addition, it can also explore a students interest in a subject and that can expand their mind in learning and critical thinking. For example, a problem with teachers designing these projects is that students don't care about the material and don't retain the information. This can effect the students grades and lead to a downturn and possibly effect their future grades. A student designed project will help a student retain information better because its on their level of understanding and would create more fun for the student while they are learning the material. Furthermore, during the school year when teachers give projects students rarely turn them in on time. If projects were student designed then students will develop the motivation needed to finish because it is their creative interests rather than their teachers given guidelines.

Secondly, creativity and social skills can be developed if summer projects were student designed. Student projects developed by teachers are normally in a certain subject or area and every student has to follow the given criteria. This can then effect how students communicate and problem solve in school. Creativity is lacking in these students not just because of technology but because the teachers design everything for them. Summer projects should be a time for students to be able to put their creativity to the test. Projects designed by students will take a lot of thinking and they will try many different design to create something which will increase their creativity due to them not following restricted guidelines given by the teacher. Another thing lacking is the social skills a student develops. For example if a history teacher gives students a history project assignment about the Civil War everyone in that class has to do the same thing and no one really talks to each other about it. If students designed the summer projects it enables students to socialize with each other and discuss the different topics that interest them creating a more social environment rather then having a certain view point handed to them.

Lastly, a students extracurricular activities won't be affected if summer projects were student designed. During the summer, families normally take vacations and some students are able to work and even get internships to get experience in different job fields. These students dont have much time on their hands to be able to finish a complicated project. A student going on vacation to Greece with their family doesn't want to stay inside and waste their time doing a complicated project designed by a teacher that they might not even understand. A student designed project can help create a better understanding for the student and they can finish is quicker without it interfering with their family time. In addition, Students with jobs and internships might not have the time to be able to complete a project. These students have schedules and standards they have to follow in order for them to keep their position at their workplace. A complicated project will either interfere with their job and effect their employment or be left unfinished and when the school year comes around their grade will take suffer. But, if the student designed the project then one could actually finish it and enjoy it rather than dread it and not being able to finish it due to their other work commitments.

Some may argue that since the teachers know the material they should design the summer projects. If teachers design it the project will then produce more accurate information for the students knowledge and help them get a good start in the upcoming school year. Though that's a valid reason, The teachers arent the ones who are actually doing the project and learning the new information given. The project might appeal to teachers interests but that won't help the students retain the information if its not something they enjoy or they find the criteria difficult. Whereas a student designed project will help the student because most of them have the same level of understanding the material and students can give each other tricks into memorizing and learning the information. Summer projects shouldn't be designed by teachers because that can effect a students motivation toward the project, it can interfere with a students summer activities, and social and creativity skills won't be developed. The summer shouldn't be a time of stress for students as they have just gone through plenty of it. By developing a system of having students designing the summer project rather than the teachers, can create more possibilities for a students mind and the generations after it.