By Dan Aceto

Staff Writer

As a member of the math team, science team, jazz band, robotics club and fencing team, Ethan DiNinno, 16, of Cape Elizabeth, knows all too well the pressures of being a high school student. 

“It gets crazy sometimes,” DiNinno said. “When you don’t get enough sleep, it affects all the things you’re trying to do and becomes a cycle.”

On Monday night, DiNinno and other students, parents and teachers, gathered at Cape Elizabeth High School to watch a screening of, “Race to Nowhere,” a documentary about stress that students face in the United States.

The event was hosted in conjunction with the Cape Elizabeth Parent’s Association, Scarborough and South Portland School departments, and Reel Link Films, which hosts national screenings of the documentary.
The film was shot, produced and co-directed by California resident Vicki Abeles. She’s the mother of three children who are struggling to succeed amidst rigors of the American school system. 

From mounting homework to extracurricular activities and everything in between, Abeles examines pressures placed on students to succeed in an ever-demanding society and asks viewers what can be done to bring change.

During a brief discussion after the screening the audience offered criticisms of schools and proposed alternative solutions to alleviate stress among students.

Cape Elizabeth resident Leslie Connolly said she was impressed by turnout for the film and thought community interest spoke to the concerns of many residents. She said one issue that resonated with her was how achievement is measured in school.

“I agree there needs to be a fundamental shift in grading and evaluation,” she said.

Connolly, a psychotherapist, said she is concerned about the impact sleep deprivation and inadequate nutrition can have on a student’s mental and physical health because of over-scheduled extracurricular activities and excessive homework.

“Their basic needs are not getting met,” Connolly said.

She said she worries about her first-grader’s enthusiasm for school and believes children need more down time to express themselves and be creative.

“There needs to be a balance between play and work,” Connolly said.

Cape Elizabeth resident Tina Rodda agreed.

“The homework situation is unacceptable,” Rodda said. “It’s invasive to private time at home.”

DiNinno, a junior at Cape Elizabeth High School, said he generally spends about three to four hours on homework each night in addition to participating in extracurricular activities. He said one of his main concerns is the emphasis placed on grades in the classroom.

“They should not tell grades until the end of the semester,” DiNinno said. “It would remove a lot of day-to-day stress.”

DiNinno said unless students are struggling and need assistance, the “day-to-day minuteness” and “instantaneous availability” of the school’s online grading system is more of a detriment than benefit for students.

He also spoke out against standardized tests and said students should be able to understand concepts taught in class and apply them without having to first see a specific example.

“What they’re teaching us to do is regurgitate facts,” DiNinno said.

At one point in the discussion, an English teacher in the audience was so moved by feedback from the audience he vowed he would no longer assign homework. 

Many in the audience spoke out against students taking too many Advanced Placement (AP) classes to bulk up their college applications without having an actual interest in the subject. 

Paula Doe, a technology specialist at Scarborough Middle School, said she feels colleges put an enormous amount of pressure on students to meet their expectations.

“It’s almost like you need to take college-level classes before going to college,” Doe said.

Doe said she remembers her own high school experience and how things were much less stressful. 

“When I went to high school there were bonfires and football games and some of the best times of your life,” Doe said. “Now it seems like that has been replaced by AP classes and scholarships.”

Like many others in the audience, Doe said children need more time to be themselves and realize what subjects they truly enjoy, rather than feel forced to participate in a multitude of activities for the sake of impressing a college.
  “My kids are different, they’re not going to follow the same path,” Doe said. “I want to help them find their strength and help them on their path.”

Although Doe said she enjoyed the film, she said she feels it is up to the educational community to take action.

“I thought it was fantastic and opens up the conversation,” Doe said. “Now we’ve got to think of the next step.”

Staff Writer Dan Aceto can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.