High school students have little control over the economic statuses of their families. They find themselves in different situations, and because of this, some students have advantages over others.
Sonia Logan, a counselor, believes that money affects high school students in many ways.
“Students who come from a secure economic background have more opportunities to participate in many more sports, as well as leadership positions on campus and off campus,” Logan said.
Senior Jordan McClamroch, Northwood’s top boys’ golfer, believes that money has given him a slight edge over the competition. McClamroch goes to see a personal coach—who has worked with professional golfers—every other week. He has also been golfing since the age of four.
“I feel like [money has] given me a little bit of an advantage because [when you have money] you get to play at nicer places, and you get more opportunities to practice,” McClamroch said.
In sports, a little extra practice can go a long way. This is true in the arts as well. Freshman Jacqueline Helgans is a singer and actress and is involved in many community activities. She performs and makes recordings with several local singing groups and is a participant in the Playmakers Summer Youth Conservatory, a coveted local theater program.
“[Money has] definitely been helpful,” Helgans said.
In addition to the large fee for the Summer Youth Conservatory program, Helgans has two vocal teachers outside of school and sees each one every week.
“I have an incredibly close relationship with [one of my teachers],” Helgans said. “She’s been so helpful, she’s given me all these different books… It’s really great [when] you can form [a bond] with someone and they have years of accumulated experience that you can take from them.”
Logan believes that positive experiences outside of school—like those that McClamroch and Helgans are a part of—can benefit students academically. Logan says that seeing “themselves in something other than a student role” gives students “a sense of well-being and [they] then try harder.” In this way, many activities can become academic motivators for students—playing sports, participating in clubs and even traveling outside of school.
“[Wealthy students are more likely to have] the resources to go to many places and see the things that they are studying. It becomes real life for them, it comes off of the pages,” Logan said. “And, for those who can’t [travel] if you don’t have a great imagination then it just becomes something that I read in a book.”
This disconnection can be no fault of the student’s. In households with a low economic status, where parents have to worry about paying bills and feeding children, there is often a greater amount of stress. Stress has been shown to hinder the state of well-being a student needs to successfully learn. Students can also be disadvantaged from an early age in households where parents are not able to set aside time to give their children a better knowledge of reading, and help them with other school work. In general, students from homes with low economic statuses score ten percent under the national average on national achievement tests in reading and mathematics.
Junior Carter Smith is an example of how students can overcome the obstacles brought on by lack of money.
“I don’t come from a wealthy family, but I know how to obtain scholarships and grants and how to raise money,” Smith said. “[Because of the money I raised] this summer I am going on a 10-day trip to Nicaragua to work with the local community and learn about the environment and the politics there.”
Logan said that the discrepancy in opportunity that students face is “just the way of the world.” She, McClamroch and Helgans all agreed that money—though a factor—is not what really determines success in the end.
“You don’t really have to have money to get somewhere,” McClamroch said.
Logan believes it’s about making the most of what you have.
“I don’t know that it’s all economic status,” Logan said. “I think [student success] is in the way some students carry themselves.”
— By Quinn Kerscher