South students and teachers explore what inspires meaningful learning and what gets in the way of it.
At South, students have the ability to choose between two academic tracks, Classic South and Eugene International High School (IHS), alongside Career-Technical Education pathways, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and elective classes in the fine and performing arts. However, in an environment where traditional academic expectations are often prioritized, do students really have the ability to take advantage of learning for learning’s sake?
Prisha Flores is a sophomore who is pursuing a full IB diploma, starting next year. While the intellectual rigor and close-knit environment of IHS is appealing to her, the required coursework is unfortunately restrictive: “I want to take AP Biology, but the IHS pathway does not have that… so if I want the diploma, I can’t take the class.”
Her comments raise concerns about whether students feel pressured to prioritize classes or pathways traditionally viewed as academically challenging over their personal interests, especially as AP and IB programs themselves are often criticized for having broad but surface-level curricula that emphasize learning for standardized exams rather than deep knowledge.
Madison Billings, who teaches AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition, said, “If I taught my classes the way College Board wants, they would probably restrict [intellectual vitality]…I think the model discourages it, but teachers can do things to try to encourage it in their own individual classrooms.”
In her AP classes, Billings must prepare students for the annual AP exams in May, during which students answer multiple choice questions and write timed essays. The structure prioritizes standardized rubrics and rewards rigid timed-writing formulas, which many argue precludes authentic literary exploration. However, between lessons on writing strong theses and conducting rhetorical analyses under pressure, Billings tries to incorporate student interests into her class to encourage critical thought: “Each year in Lang, I change my units up depending on the interests of the class. Last year, we did The Art of Loving Doom; this year, we did Cruelty; the year before, we did Why Kids Can’t Read. Each year, it’s been driven by what the kids want.”
Senior Devin Lin, who has taken both AP English classes, agrees that this structure has helped him engage more in an otherwise standardized curriculum. “It has made me found more value in these classes because it’s more fun,” he shared, “It’s not, like, oh, it’s another English or AP language class. I can actually take stuff from that class.”
Likewise, social studies teacher Jacob Clark uses the subject matter of his political science classes to promote intellectual vitality. He defines his role as “being able to give students the tools to think about things critically, to make up their own minds about where they stand, and to be a neutral arbiter of the truth.”
In his two AP political science classes—AP U.S. Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics—Clark believes that “the concept of political neutrality” is central to fostering intellectual vitality: “I find it comforting that every year I have students asking me my political views,” he said, “Because they don’t know, and I’ve been told over the years that it’s almost a game for them…So for me, intellectual vitality is, how do I provide you guys differing perspectives that sometimes force you to feel uncomfortable and challenge your own preconceived notions, and do it in a politically neutral way?” Thus, another possibility is for students to engage broadly with these ideas and to wrestle with and challenge their own assumptions about the material covered.
Meanwhile, the challenge of fostering intellectual exploration within restrictive curricula coincides with another issue at South and nationwide: grade inflation, reflected in the steady rise in average high school GPAs. The trend raises broader questions about the meaning of academic achievement, as many students have come to expect—and understandably prioritize—maintaining high GPAs. For many high school seniors, an A no longer signifies exceptional academic performance; A has become “average” instead. Correspondingly, according to South’s 2025-26 School Profile, more than 41% of the Class of 2025 graduated with unweighted GPAs above 3.75 on the 4.0 scale.
“Grades are so cheap for me,” Billings remarked, contrasting the relative ease with which teachers assign grades with the weight they carry for students, for whom grades can shape academic choices and future opportunities.
She shared how her perspective on grades has changed because of students: “My belief in grades has been deeply impacted…in the way that students, especially at South, treat grades as currency. [A student] was listing all the ways that he is financially rewarded or punished in the world for having good or bad grades.” For example, students with high GPAs receive discounts on car insurance.
The question, then, is finding a balance: how can a high school create an academic environment that encourages students to explore their interests while still allowing them to achieve the success that can have tangible benefits beyond the classroom?
For one, students should continue to be encouraged to explore their interests through South’s unique offerings: CTE pathways such as Early Childhood Education, Culinary Arts, Computer & Information Sciences, and Journalism & Media Arts, alongside electives in Choir, Drama, Orchestra, and more.
Anna Cupo-Carleton, a senior in the theater program, shared how drama has complemented her AP coursework: “They’re very distinct,” she said, “because the performing arts are so strictly non-academic, and ways to get parts and be good and improve yourself have nothing to do with how intellectually smart you are.”
She explained that theater “has helped me see my education as more well-rounded than what I would just get out of classes… [it] has helped me realize that kids need more than just classes to mature and grow as people.”
Similarly, Clark and Billings shared their vision for a school culture that balances rigorous academics but with intellectual vitality and practical skills needed after graduation.
“On a transactional level, it’s very difficult to find a job without a high school education,” Billings said. “From a humanist standpoint, it’s the last chance that we all have you together to send you off into the world… teaching you what it means to hopefully be a good person and to have the skills to contribute meaningfully to your community.”
Clark added, “If we can figure out how to help kids not identify themselves and their self worth with the letter grade that they receive, we will change people’s lives. Because then, students will be more willing to go out on a limb. Then they’ll be willing to take harder classes. Then they’ll be willing to take something they don’t think they’re good at—and not get an A.”
In the end, every spring, when students forecast for classes, the question seems to come down to whether curiosity is worth the risk. Is it worth taking this class if I can’t pursue full IB? Is it worth taking a challenging course if I can’t guarantee an A? Beneath those questions lies a deeper one: are the classes students take truly preparing us for the world beyond high school?
Article by Lily Yao