Students across all age groups look forward to the last day of school, the day summer vacation begins. From the endless memories summer entails, to the exciting, fun experiences, summer vacation is one of the most beneficial times for students. For many high school students, teachers assign summer assignments or projects that relate to a class they may be taking in the upcoming school year. These assignments tend to require an expansive amount of time and also tend to be rather ineffective. In the summer students want to fill their time with exciting activities that they would enjoy. We live in the age of self exploration with some the most inquisitive students, but we still conform to the age old summer assignment system. In a new modern classroom setting, students should have the liberty to design their own summer projects because students are more inclined to learn when they have the liberty to decide their work, and the process of self exploration is the key to molding successful minds.

When given a task you do not enjoy, most people do either of two things. The first thing they do is rush the task to get it over with, and the second thing they do is push it off as much as they can. Similarly, when a student is given an assignment that is not of interest to them, the quality of work is very low. In reference to the summer, this general idea is heightened; a majority of students tend to push off assignments to the very latest, creating lackluster work and also not learning much from the assignment. Personally, I have experienced this repeatedly. When I was given a summer assignment for my English class this year, I was eager to read the book. While, the book was interesting the assignment was extremely long. The intended goal of the assignment was to expand the knowledge and analysis of the book, but after completing the assignment, I felt like that once held excitement and knowledge was gone. If I had the ability to design my own assignment relating to the book, I most likely would have enjoyed completing the assignment, allowing for an expansion of knowledge. This does not only apply to my experiences with summer assignments, but also applies to my overall experience as a student. When given the liberty to decide my own work, I am not only excited to work, but I am also more dedicated. When my education is in my hands, I produce some of my best work. Currently as a junior enlisted in a self led research class, I have learned so much about myself and the overall topic I am researching. Although at first the task at hand was daunting, I learned how to organize myself effectively and complete a thorough research project that I am happy with. By having the research project on my own, I am constantly thinking about it and I spend more time to work. Giving students the ability to decide their course of work is one of the most beneficial decisions a teacher can make for the future of a student.

Not only do students work harder when given the liberty to decide their assignments, but through self exploration, teachers builds strong, inquisitive minds. Some of the most successful people are regarded for their fame and success due to self exploration. In Benjamin Franklin's famous autobiography, he shares his experiences through self exploration. Growing up in a poor household, Franklin's father could not afford to send him to a traditional college education, but through Franklin's own personal endeavors and exploration, he became one of America's founding fathers, discovered lightning, and paved a legacy that is still remembered today. Simple self exploration can start with these summer projects. When a student is given their own freedom, remarkable results can follow. The purpose of a curriculum is to mend our future minds into strong, independent thinkers, so by implementing simple strides of self exploration, schools and teachers are able to mold the minds of successful students. In my own experiences, self exploration has made a remarkable impact. When I was 15 I started my first company, learning everything on my own with the help of a few mentors along the way. Not only did I grow as a person, but my knowledge for business also grew tremendously. Through the use of online resources, videos, and contacts, I was able to produce something I am truly proud of. The work I put in, was time I wanted to because I was truly passionate about what I was doing. That passion is what we need to strive for. From simple opportunities for self exploration during the summer to long term projects, as a society we need to move towards encouraging self education and self exploration.

The future is in the hands of my generation, and we must make the most of it. The overall benefit of students having their education in their hands, outweighs the potential negative repercussions. Some may predict that students may slack off when given the opportunity to create their own summer projects. While this is possible, when a student is pushed, surprising results follow. In addition, giving students that necessary push is how we can create a brighter future. Overall, enacting a policy in which students create their own summer projects not only creates inquisitive students now, but our leaders in the future.