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Last year, I went to see Dr. Phil Campbell and Mike Smith speak with a group of students. At this seminar, our goal was to walk away being inspired to start a Renaissance program.

Since then, the Renaissance movement at Bellwood has taken flight.

I learned a lot from that day, but the thing that stuck with me the most was when they showed us a picture of a scantron and scribbled on it was “this does not define you.”

The middle school just took the PSSA’s and high schoolers are preparing for finals. Some high schoolers also have Keystones or SAT’s this week. These are all tests that every student stresses way too much on. How can you not stress when you’re told that these tests will determine your future.

Here’s a little tidbit of information for you: it doesn’t matter if you get a 49% or a 94% on your final exam, it doesn’t make you dumb. Maybe biology or math isn’t your thing. Not doing well on a test only means to try harder next time.

To all the teachers out there, don’t put as much pressure on your students. If you do your job, they will do theirs. Telling a student that a single test will determine their future isn’t fair. That will make the student taking the test stress more. It will make them stress about something that they won’t even care about in 15 years.

To all the students who are taking a big test, it will not affect the rest of your life, so don’t let it affect the rest of your day. Tell yourself you’ll do better next time and walk out of the classroom smiling because the test you just bombed doesn’t define you.