Every student at one point has had to present in front of a class or group of people. Some find it difficult to complete successfully without getting extremely nervous.

   Some students will refuse to present and willingly take a bad grade because their anxiety is too strong to overcome. Many teachers are willing to compromise with students and find an alternative, like presenting in front of only the teacher and doing extra worksheets while also turning in the presentation slides and written speech. But what about the teachers who don’t?

   Junior Megan Bailey attends Belfry High School in Belfry, Kentucky. She believes kids should not be made to present in class and that there should be a second option. 

   “Some kids struggle with many forms of anxiety, and pushing them beyond their limit is nerve-wracking,” said Bailey

   Bailey knows that not all teachers understand why students feel the way they do while presenting, but she also thinks having an open mind would help. 

   Senior Isra Ayayda at Northwest High School claims that even though it can be irritating to present in a classroom, it should not be something to complain about. 

   “Having to talk in front of people and being able to present and express your ideas is vital for your future life,” said Ayayda.

   She believes that it is not really “forcing” but preparing students for situations they will inevitably face. All teachers are trying to do when asking you to present is them just trying to train you to acquire such skill, not force you. 

   Arianna DeJesus is a graduate of Bangor High school in Bangor, Michigan, and she sees both sides, which leaves her believing there is a gray area. As a kid, DeJesus despised presenting in front of her peers. As years went by and high school presentations would come and go, she is now an adult who believes it was an excellent setup for her future.

With the job she now has, she consistently speaks in front of large groups. So her advice to anyone struggling is to remember that this is an in-the-moment feeling, to keep your future in mind, and to be confident.

   Senior Des Cutter struggles with presenting in front of peers due to her social anxiety and severe ADHD, which causes her to trip over her words and stutter incredibly when nervous. She believes the main source of her struggle is her not getting along with fellow students and the bullying issues she experienced. 

   “If everyone would get along, which is impossible, but speaking in theory, I believe students would have a significantly easier time than they do now,” said Cutter. 

   Cutter believes there can be many benefits for future jobs if students speak in front of large groups of people. If they do not, though, there are not many benefits for a student.