Dear Principal TEACHER_NAME,

I completely understand your reasoning behind this policy. I also agree that grades come before sports, and that you should be doing well in school before you participate in an after school activity. However, I feel that a B average is asking a little too much.

These after school activities often take up 1.5-2 hours of our day after school. That is also 1.5-2 hours of time that we could use to complete homework. We as students have lives outside of school. We may have family matters, Boy Scout meetings, other sports activities, instrument lessons, etc.. These activities can be very pressuring on the students. When we often have up to five hours of activities after school, and two hours of homework, having to maintain a B average can be very stressful on the students. Me, being in multiple accelerated classes, receive a lot of homework. It usually takes me about two hours to complete all of it thoroughly. I also play sports year-round, and I have boy scout meetings once a week. With all of these tasks that I must complete, holding on to a B average is often difficult.

Things that are happening at home often come into play, too. I have four brothers that are all younger than me. Like most small children, they like to run around and make a lot of noise. Most people would agree with me when I say that these are not ideal working conditions. With these conditions, I most often cannot complete all of my work as soon as I get home from school. I do have the option of waiting until they go to bed to complete my work, however staying up late is not something I enjoy, for the reason that I am a teenager, and need more sleep. If the requirement for participation is lowered to a C average, not only will more students be able to participate in after school activities, they also won't have to be as concerned about completing everything. I'm not saying that students will stop trying, they just won't have to go beyond the impossible, just to run cross country, or play basketball. If the limit is a C average, they will be able to continue what they are doing and still be able to enjoy school.

In conclusion, if the minimum grade for participating is lowered to a C, instead of a B, many students will enjoy it. They will feel much more relieved, they will be able to enjoy their after school activities without a huge worry about homework, and they will be more inclined to listen in class because of the lack of stress. Because the stress level is lowered, the students' grades could naturally raise to a B average, possibly an A.

Sincerely,

STUDENT_NAME

8th Grade