Power Hour Woes

Story by Hunter Heier »

Throughout the year, Power Hour has been closed for a number of reasons, one example being Career Cruising days. Lately, however, Power Hour has been closed because of a large number of students with failing grades.

“There’s an unacceptable amount of failing grades,” said Assistant Principal Joe Zlatnik.

Zlatnik attributes the high number of failing grades to the amount of assignments students haven’t turned in.

“Some students are utilizing their time productively,” said Zlatnik, “It’s being used to socialize, but at the same time, it needs to be used for academic purposes.”

Nate Robinson, EHS video teacher, believes the recent closing of Power Hour was necessary.

“I think people take advantage of open Power Hour,” said Robinson. “Most use it well.”

Robinson also believes that the closing of Power Hour isn’t supposed to be negative, but instead a way to grab students attention.

“It’s not supposed to be a punishment,” Robinson said, “I think it was needed, because we needed to check people up.”

Student’s reactions to the closed Power Hour were varied. Some offered alternate solutions, as well as possible explanations for why there are such a large amount of failing grades.

Junior Westley Hutton offered a potential solution to students not using Power Hour as it was originally designed.

“I think that, in the first place, if you’re failing a class, you need to go to the class and there should be punishment if you don’t go back,” Hutton said,“There was no enforcement, so nobody went back.”

One of Hutton’s ideas to help solve the problem of students not using Power Hour correctly is to increase the severity of the punishment for not reporting to a class that a student is failing.

“Count skipping Power Hour like skipping a regular class,” Hutton said.

Hutton also explained his thoughts on why some students don’t use Power Hour for its intended purpose, but instead use it to socialize with friends.

“If I was failing a class, and I need to go to math, because that was what I was failing, and I had to spend power hour to do that, and I had to sign in, and stay the entire hour, if there is no punishment for not doing that, they wouldn’t do it,” said Hutton.

Hutton also believes that the amount of students failing classes is hurting other students.

“Activity Period gets taken away by closed Power Hour,” said Hutton, “People like me are missing out on clubs like music and debate because others don’t want to do their work.”

Students who did have to attend the second week of closed Power Hour also gave their thoughts as to whether the closed Power Hour was helping them to complete assignments.

Dalton Hibner is one student who doesn’t think the added time is helping him finish his work.

“I don’t think it’s helping me get my work done,” said Hibner. “If it’s going to be closed, you should be required to go to the class you’re failing, instead of your regular Power Hour.”

Hibner also believed that in some ways, the closed Power Hour was limiting failing students’ opportunities to get the help they need.

“If you’re in an advanced class, your normal Power Hour teacher might not be able to help you out,” said Hibner.

However, some students are finding the closed Power Hour to be helpful. Corey Hoover, Jr., believes that the time given to him by closed Power Hour allows him to get his work done that he wouldn’t normally.

“I think that it’s giving me time to get work done here at school, because I don’t do it at home,” said Hoover.

Zlatnik also reminds students to remain productive throughout the day.

“If you have an hour in your day, use it to get work done,” said Zlatnik.