Summer should be a time of rest, family connection, and personal growth . Summer break is a chance for students to recharge before the next school year.

For Newark Public Schools us students, however, summer has turned into extra school days filled with stress and exhausting assignments. Summer is filled with packets, essays, and projects. We were refused a break that is essential for our mental health.

Long summer work not only fails to relax students but also ignores the true purpose of education such as  learning face to face, creativity, and a love of learning. Instead of helping students summer packets are leaving students disengaged and burnt out.  

The American Psychological Association warns that summer work causes stress that  can lead to burnout, weakened mental well-being, and lower academic performance.

 Many students are always in a bad mood in the beginning of the school year because they had to do work during the summer and more for a whole new school year. Students never get the break they deserve, many parents struggle to help their kids during the summer, staff has to worry about all the students' work. The beginning of the school year shouldn’t be this stressful, it should motivate students for the school year.

Currently, many students do summer sport programs and school programs and they are still stuck with summer packets. This may cause them to not even have a break, it’s just more work and they will be burnt out. Many ignore this and it can lead to failure in the school year.

Many believe summer work helps keep students engaged, but how are they going to do that if they are not fully motivated? Instead, they find it like a chore from school.

There’s a better way. Schools can promote optional summer activities that help with students who fail to understand certain subjects and help spark creativity. There are many alternatives like educational programs and community service and it can provide meaningful growth without unnecessary pressure.

By signing this petition, you’re standing with Newark Public Schools students, families, and teachers to demand a fair break.

Our time matters. Our health matters. Our voices matter