Competition is what drives a person to accomplish their goals and surmount certain tasks. At Saint Stephen’s, the students are compelled to achieve high grades. Whether it is through self-motivation or the encouragement of friends, the pupils at Saint Stephen’s are driven to succeed, especially when applying to colleges.

College

Director of College Counseling Mr. Rick Ellis said competition is prevalent amongst the students. However, instead of competing against one another, students aid each other in completing their goals.

“People help each other to be better here by pushing each other. [The students] always wonder if they are doing enough,” he said.

“There are some people who wonder if competition within oneself is healthy, and I agree with that. It makes the students better, the athletes better and leadership better,” he said.

Co-Chair of the Modern and Classical Languages Department Mr. J.B. Wolcott said that he sees academic competition increase junior and senior years of high school when students are applying to college.

“When that [process] starts, I think [students] try to compete with each others’ GPA by trying to boost their own GPA. Unfortunately, that can serve as a disconnect between getting the best grade they can and learning as much as they can possibly learn,” he said.

Senior Nilan Patel said he sees the competition increase when seniors apply to the same college.

“During the college process [the competition] is definitely there. People want to get into their college, and having more people apply to your same college affects you because you worry that you might not get in because there are more people applying,” he said.

Associate of College Counseling, Ms. Kim Lord said competition among seniors can cause undue worry.

“I think competition often translates into anxiety because the classes are so cohesive, students are aware of what everyone else is doing, and that often does make them want to do more and feel anxious that they are not doing enough,” she said.

Senior Alison Kanter said competition is used by students at Saint Stephen’s as a way to be successful in all fields.

“I see it in academics, clubs and how many community service hours people have. I see it all over,” she said.

Academics

History teacher Mr. Bernie Yanelli said competition among the student body can be a good thing, as long as the students are only competing within themselves.

“To be competing against other students for the top grade or to be the top student in class, I see as a bad thing, because the nature of an education should be mastery over themselves. When he or she starts looking at it to defeat someone else, the student misses the point as to why he or she is getting an education,” he said.

Junior Shelby Fauvel said she is entirely self-motivated because competition is not a healthy method to reach her objectives.

“By not comparing myself to others, I feel it has made me a happier person. When I [used to compare myself to others], I was jealous and felt inadequate because I was not doing as well as some other people,” she said.

Junior Herman Israelson said when he sees a person who is succeeding in a particular task or subject, he compares himself to them to better himself as a person.

“When I see my biggest idol, I compare myself to him because I can only see that as a way of getting better. When I see someone who is doing better than me [academically], I ask him for help. Once he helps me and shows me his way, I use his ways to get better,” he said.

Kanter agreed. She said self-motivation is her main drive for wanting to succeed, but she is always aware of how others are performing to see if she can tweak her process so to be even more successful.

“If I’m doing something and I think I’m doing a good job, but I notice someone is doing better, I will wonder what I can do to make my score or success better. If I can acknowledge that people are better than me at different things, then it doesn’t intimidate me to the point where I give up. I only push myself to do better,” she said.

Extra-curricular Activities

When it comes to extra-curricular activities, including school clubs, senior Kattie Schroeter lets her competitive light shine through. However, she said she limits it when it comes to school work.

“[Activities] like Harvard Model Congress or Mock Trial encourage me, and I take them on as a challenge. I love when I have the debate and competition going. [However], I don’t take that competition and apply it to academics because I’m more competitive within myself. I do what’s in the best interest for me,” she said.

If kept within limits, Ellis said, “Competition in its basic form as a former coach is healthy. If competition breeds opportunity, then that is [good] too,” he said.

When it comes to breaking up, people take the easy way out. Many end their romantic relationships using Facebook or e-mail because it is harder to do it face to face.