With summer coming up, students are ready to stop everything and put their feet up, but should they be doing that? According to NWEA.com, test scores in both math and reading show a peak in learning loss over the summer, since students aren’t working their minds as hard as they do during the school year. While a break is necessary to wind down, Counselors, Jennifer Vick and Ashley Hester propose a simple action to keep students ready for the upcoming school year; reading.
“Summer brain drain happens for the most simple reasons,” Vick said. “Normally, we’re using our brains at a pretty high capacity for all of the school months, and then all of a sudden, it’s the middle of June and people tend to slip onto breaks and stop doing everything. One of the things I recommend all the time and something that is available for students at every single level is just reading.”
While some people don’t find reading to be very enjoyable, Hester suggests that it’s not reading that is the problem, but rather the subject that is. It’s important to find a genre of literature that interests you so reading becomes less of a chore. Hester also suggests journaling, or any form of writing, to keep your mind moving during those three months.
“I think it’s good to just do something educationally beneficial,” Hester said. “There’s so many things to interest you out there. If you look for something that interests you, even just a little bit, you’re more likely to actually dedicate time to it and gain something from it.”
In preparation for summer, Shea Dolle ’26 has decided to keep a healthy balance between fun in the sun, and keeping her mind sharp and ready for junior year and the SAT.
“I love to play fun games and hang out with my friends,” Dolle said. “It keeps my mind going because I’m moving around and being active, but I also realize how easy and beneficial a simple SAT prep book could be for me this summer.”
Summer is an ideal time to begin preparation for the SAT in junior year. It’s not busy, your mind is clear, and you can keep your brain in action for the upcoming year.
“I might not love working in the summer, but I know I should,” Dolle said. “It makes me feel less nervous to come back and more prepared to face everything again. Plus, who doesn’t like to keep their mind fresh?”
