Students are under different amounts of pressure all throughout their high school career and often times aren’t always encouraged.

“I’m the outcast of my friend group,” freshman Amelia McCoy said.

Everyone is discouraged by different things; and some students don’t know always know where to go to seek encouraging help.

“I really don’t go to seek for help, I just kind of remember that I’m almost done,” senior Elizabeth Ore said.

Even when someone knows where to go for help, those options aren’t always right to talk to.

“Counselors’ lack of encouragement towards kids who want to participate in the arts after high school [discourages me],” junior Francesca Young said. “I usually go to my parents because they actually do support [the arts] and believe in me.”

Teachers play an important role in their students’ lives and their encouragement is a big factor in their success.

“When I ask a question to the teacher and she looks at me like i’m stupid or when the teacher says ‘you should know this’ [is discouraging],” Ore said.

When a student starts to get discouraged, little things may feel like a bigger task and they’ll want an escape from it.

“Just find a happy place or somewhere where you like to go,” McCoy said.

Sometimes finding an escape isn’t all that a student needs. Teacher encouragement can make kids feel good about themselves.

“[Teachers could] support [students] in whatever they choose to do and just get them to the place where they could be successful in a career like that instead of just telling them that there’s no way to be able to do it and be successful,” said Young.

There are more than one option for students who are having problems staying encouraged to go.

“I would just say look farther than your counselors because they may not always give you the help that you need,” said Young.