Why go to school every day?

It is a question often asked. Many people — students, rather — frequently ask this question: Why do I show up to school every single day? One of the most common answers: "It's your job." But that never really made sense to me. If school is our "job," then why don't we get paid? The response to that is: "Your education is your paycheck."

Despite that fact that most high-schoolers would rather have cash in hand, some want the education. Elizabeth Campbell, a freshman at Yuba City High School, said when asked "The Question": "What do you think? I want to learn because I want to go to medical school." She was very abrasive.

However, many other students replied the same way: "Because I have to." When I asked if their input could be included in my column, their answers quickly changed to: "I want a strong education and a better future." It was your typical "Miss America" answer.

Hopefully, the remainder of my column will convince those "Miss America" hopefuls that school is worth it. School is a gift that our founding fathers wanted to guarantee for us — not to torture us or out of malice; rather that we could be educated enough to make decisions.

Robert M. Hutchins once said, "A liberal education ... frees a man from the prison-house of his class, race, time, place, background, family and even his nation." A decent education leads to opportunities, and opportunities to success.

At YCHS, many of the teachers take time out of their days, after school hours, to provide extra help to their students. Mrs. Priddy, an English teacher, spent around seven hours or more helping her students improve their writing.

Many of the math teachers stay after school three days a week and provide an "intervention" math tutoring. Mr. Warmee provides two chances for his AP U.S. history class students to hold study sessions after school before every test. All of the teachers at Yuba City High are extremely dedicated to the success of their students, and for that, we applaud you.

As students, we must give our best effort for the teachers who put in so much extra time and work into us. For our chance to move up and forward in life, we must try. Finally, for ourselves, we must try.

To all the "Miss Americas" out there: Find a reason to make school more important other than just because you must — if not for yourself then for those who spend their time to invest in your success.

We are Honkers, and we will fly.

Tucker Walden is a senior at Yuba City High School. His column appears every six weeks in Education.