(April 4, 2003) — To a number of students high school is a time for both work and play. The challenge lies in time management and the ability to balance classes, with extracurricular activities and free time. With so much on a student’s plate—from seven classes to sports, a job, clubs and volunteering—a perfect schedule becomes a must. But in this quest for perfection Clark students refuse to accept the limitations of our system places. Instead they adopt an attitude of complaint and criticism when ASB and varsity cheer are both only offered seventh period. With Clark coming to the close of its fifth year our schedule is set. Students should not expect the administration to tailor school policy to fit individual needs. Sports are customarily only offered seventh period as Clark provides a sports bus for student athletes. Our school also allows athletes to take a zero-period sport at their home school in an attempt to provide students with maximum opportunities. But what happens when a sport is offered only third or fourth period? In that case the student needs to choose Clark over sports or vice versa. Our school has already gone out of its way to provide busing out of consideration for student athletes and many participants have enjoyed excelling in both academics and athletics under our current seventh period busing policy. Seventh period is not only for sports but also for many other elective opportunities such as a foreign language other than Spanish and community college classes. Students can take a variety of courses not offered at Clark from Latin to sociology all available because our school schedule allows for it. Yet many have the audacity to complain about minor shortcomings. Students whine that classes from AP Psychology to ceramics aren’t taught at Clark and yet they fail to appreciate what our school does offer and the efforts our administration makes to provide us with a well-rounded and satisfying high school experience. Students should not go out of their way to victimize themselves; instead they should become familiar with the advantages Clark has to offer. Clark provides an intimate atmosphere, an attentive learning environment and a variety of creative and active outlets.