At a high school like Arrowhead, high achieving students, both academically and athletically, create competition between students. . Competition can affect students both positively and negatively. In the broad scope, competition can be seen more of a positive than a negative.
According to the Institute of Competition Sciences, competitions set a framework for practicing and facilitating a growth mindset for students. They give benchmarks upon which they can base their improvements and put value on the challenge of improving.
“Competition helps me challenge myself by seeing others succeed and pushing me to want to succeed. Overall, student competition is good to make sure you’re giving your all.” Addie Williams, Arrowhead Senior, said.
According to American Heritage Schools, research shows that competition can drive attention, physical effort, and learning. The social motivation of competing against one’s peers can challenge a student to work much harder on his or her tasks than he or she would independently feel compelled to do.
“Competition makes me actually want to do something,” Kaitlin Menz, Arrowhead senior, says.
According to Inneos, research shows that competition causes children to strive to do more than is required. These abilities prepare children for future situations of all kinds. Whether it’s applying to college, seeking a promotion, or finding a cure for cancer, the ability to compete will give students an important edge.
“Competition makes me want to try harder when I see people putting in all their effort, it makes me want to increase my effort,” Arrowhead Senior, Hadley Harmelink said.
Overall competition is something that everyone will experience at some point in their lifetime.
