High school is a pivotal period in a student’s life, marked by academic challenges and personal growth. While there are many factors that influence a student’s performance, one that stands out is the expectations that parents have for their children.
Parents play a crucial role in shaping a student’s attitude and motivation. High expectations from parents can instill a sense of responsibility and strong work ethic in students. If parents teach their children the importance of education and the potential opportunities it can offer, students may be more likely to take their studies more seriously and strive to achieve their best.
Parental expectations do not just leave an impact on their children’s academic performance but can impact their athletic performance as well. Many parents who involve their children in sports at a young age can instill discipline in their childrens’ athletic endeavors.
Ranked the fourth-best high school in Iowa, PVHS is home to a strong academic community with a talented student body. A reason why many PV students excel academically and athletically is because of parental expectations and support.
Senior Vamsi Challa, who has an exceptional GPA, ACT score and has taken several rigorous courses including numerous AP classes, credits his parents for part of his academic success. “Especially when I was younger, I was expected to maintain decent grades. If I failed to do so, I’d get in trouble, and they didn’t really give me much appraisal when I kept good grades,” continued Challa. “They pushed me to do extracurricular activities as well. Now, they don’t really expect as much of me since I’ve made a habit of maintaining good grades.”
Challa is just one of many PVHS students whose parents set high standards for academic performance. Additionally, there is also a subset of students whose parents focused more on their child’s sports.
Senior David Gorsline plays on PV’s varsity basketball and football teams in addition to keeping strong grades. Gorsline’s parents always encouraged him in his sports. “As a kid, my parents always encouraged me to be hardworking in school and sports. They put me into basketball when I was 3 and football when I was 5,” said Gorsline.
“They aren’t strict about my athletic performance, but they’ve always been supportive and wanted me to do my best. My dad has always helped me improve my game, and both my parents have helped me to receive the best training and recovery treatments possible,” explained Gorsline.
Both Gorsline and Challa show the positive impact that can come from how one is parented. Their achievements demonstrate how parental expectations serve as a guiding force during the childhood years, propelling students toward success, whether it be in the classroom or on the field.
