Summer assignments are world renowned for their boring nature, however their purpose is to maintain knowledge over long-term breaks.

While students slave away over AP or DE assignments over summer, they feel as if they are wasting time on a topic that will not be discussed in class or will not be relevant to the class.

Most teachers see summer assignments as a way for students to jump straight into doing work when the school year starts.

This summer assignment system should be changed so it is student driven, allowing for students to choose topics based on interests or future career paths to make sure that students gain independence and a chance to inform themselves on important current events to become a more efficient member of society.

A student-driven assignment can give the pupil a chance to find an interest.

This interest could be; the environment, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, or any other topic that may spark the interest of the student to make that into a future career path.

The introduction of student-driven learning can increase productivity in the student, because student-driven learning is not based on being forced to research, but the student's values the ideas or topic that they are researching.

An issue with student's choosing their assignment is that the topic could be unrelated or has no basis for education and will not teach the student adequate information, however with regulations from school boards and teachers it can be avoided.

The problem with teacher-based or a curriculum-style learning is that the student may feel overwhelmed by the speed of the course of the assignment and simply not do it, while the student-paced learning allows for mistakes to be made in order for growth over long breaks.

During the school year, students face challenges such as tests, quizzes, and a monumental load of homework.

In the summer months, it allows for students to experience independence at the cost of having to do work or assignments over the course of their break.

In the perspective of the student, the teacher-designed work creates a sense of loss of individuality, where students believe that cannot make choices on their own.

The introduction of student-designed work over the summer will give students to option to keep independence while still maintaining their level of knowledge.

If student-designed projects were to be integrated, it would provide a more real world view for students to learn from.

Students would be able to gain knowledge on real world issues or adult life.

This introduction of real world knowledge to the youth can provide for them later in life by making an easier transition from young-adult to fully-independent and working adult.

However, many students may not take advantage of this ideology, by not looking into topics of interest or topics that can pertain to future life, but those few will be out shadowed by the success of those who learn about what they care about.

If students are more informed on current events, it can provide a new group of people who can contribute to societies many problems such as the environmental crisis or climate change.

For example, Greta Thurnberg was provided ed much time to learn about climate change and the earth's environmental crisis because of her homeschooling, now she is fighting for a movement that can save our planet, while still being a child.

In conclusion, summer assignments should be student-driven and designed to ensure that students maintain independence by being able to choose their paths in life based on interests as well as an opportunity for the youth to become informed on current events to contribute to society.

Many students may not take advantage of this opportunity, however the growth of independent-minded children can increase the growth of society as a whole.