“Win the day.” “Excellence with a purpose.” “Embracing excellence for all–students first.”These are just some of the slogans and quotes that apply to the students of McIntosh. Many of the students push themselves to be excellent. But excellence comes with a price.

Many students participate in the school’s clubs, sports and academic teams, and theatrical and musical productions. At the same time, many students take advanced and gifted classes. Some of those same students take zero period classes to get an extra credit on their college resumes or to simply have the benefit of taking a class that they would not be able to take otherwise. Students give up much in order to have these educational benefits.

Junior Jalin Walters said she feels the school slogans aren’t true. She said, “Not everyone is successful in school.”

Junior Morgan Street said, “Every day, I personally feel I have to be perfect. But I know no one can really achieve ‘perfect.'”

Sophomore Trin Jalloh said, “I feel like everyone in school tries to live up to this expectation of excellence and live by these quotes.”

Freshman Reese Marshall said, “I feel like the part where it says ‘students first’ is fake. I feel that [the school] doesn’t really care for the students and how they feel about certain things.”

Freshman Samori Cullun said she finds these slogans strange. She said, “I came from a different community. So coming here, I didn’t know that schools had slogans and quotes to go by.”

While all of these students react negatively to school’s slogans, they do see positive aspects, too.

Jalin said, “I strive for excellence by trying to get good grades. I want to go to a good college, and that’s what I strive for.”

Trin said, “I want to go to a good college and get a good-paying job.”

Reese said, “I try to strive for excellence all the time. So far in high school, I have been trying better than I did in middle school just because I want a better future for myself.”

Samori said, “Striving to be excellent is something I’ve always done. So the slogans don’t bother me too much.”

Each of these students strives to be the perfect student, but what makes their views so important is their perceptions of perfection.

Jalin said her views on her perfect student and the school’s views are very different. She said, “I feel like the school expects everyone to get straight A’s and be the best at everything. But to me, I feel that the perfect student should have good grades and be a good role model.”

Morgan said, “I feel the perfect student is someone who not necessarily gets the best grades but can make an effort to get good grades.”

Trin said, “I feel the perfect student is someone who behaves well and has fair grades, like a B average.”

Samori said, “I feel the school expects students to have straight A’s, be in a lot of clubs, be in a team or on multiple teams and to do well on that team.”

Reese said, “I feel that the perfect student is someone who tries their best even if they’re not the one who is the sports star or even have the highest test scores in their class.”

Neither Samori nor Reese would ever think about dropping out of school.

Samori laughed and said, “My mom would kill me.”

Reese said, “Even though there are some people out there who are successful without their high school diploma, I feel that a high school diploma is important to help you get through life.”

Both juniors, Jalin and Morgan, said they sometimes think about dropping out of school.

Jalin said, “There’s a lot of school work and just not enough sleep. The teachers tell us to get eight hours of sleep but give us so much homework we’re up late.”

Morgan said, “I only think of dropping out when I’m frustrated with my work.”

Trin has a different perspective. She said, “I think of dropping out. It’s hard coming from a different high school. I went to Stockbridge High and then came here. The classes and the level of difficulty is different. Math for me is a struggle.”

Jalin and Trin said they do not focus on other people’s academic achievements.

Jalin said, “I don’t really feel worthless. I work my hardest and do my best. That’s what matters.”

Trin said, “I don’t feel worthless compared to my friends. I’m me. I only care about my grades and no one else’s.”

Samori said, “I feel intimidated. My friends get good grades, and I want good grades like them. I feel pressured to keep them.”

Reese said, “I have felt depressed at times … when it comes to comparing [myself to] my friends who always get A’s and B’s.”

Many students in high school try to be successful in order to go to a good college. At times, students can feel stressed and feel upset with the requirements that colleges require and what high schools require in order to pass to the next grade.

Trin, Samori and Reese said that they do not like the idea of foreign language classes. Reese said, “I don’t like that some colleges require you take two years of foreign language. I feel bad for the students who are bad at memorization. Also, the volunteering hours I feel aren’t necessary.”

Samori said, “I feel that two years of a foreign language to pass high school is kind of ridiculous. I feel I’m going to miss out on such amazing classes. Also, colleges expect you to do lots of clubs and do a sport or more than one sports. I feel schools should try to focus on what the students do really well in.”

Trin said, “I feel that having two years of a foreign language is a waste of time. If someone isn’t minoring or majoring in it, they shouldn’t have to take it. Instead, they need to be taking classes that contribute to their pathway.”

Jalin and Morgan both dislike the SAT. Jalin said, “Not everyone is a good test taker.”

Morgan said, “It’s one test. Your grades at school reflect how good of a student you are. The test is a one day thing. Sometimes having a bad morning can affect how the test goes.”

Some of the students said that they have to put their own health at risk by putting it second to their school work.

Jalin said, “I usually put my health second when it comes to getting my homework done. I go to bed between 10 and 12 p.m. Then I wake up at five in the morning to finish the rest of it. And then I go to zero period. That is how I end and start my days: school work in mind.”

Trin said, “I feel the school doesn’t consider what we do outside of class. I participate in basketball, softball and weight training. And I come home late wanting to go to bed only to stay up later to get my homework done. I sometimes don’t go to bed until two in the morning. On days like those I always feel I have to put my health second to school work.”

Maybe excellence is not at all that it is cut out to be. The school’s slogans definitely make students feel stressed to strive for excellence and be perfect.