Stressed-Out Students

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Jennifer maintained a grade average among the highest in her class. She took part in many extracurricular activities and had the respect of her teachers and counselors. But in the year before her graduation, she started having severe headaches and frequent bouts of nausea. She feels that the long hours of intense concentration she spent on her schoolwork along with lack of sleep made her physically ill.

Jennifer is not alone. The number of students facing high levels of stress in school seems to be increasing, with some seeking psychiatric help. As a result, a group of American educators has instituted a program to loosen up the high-pressure atmosphere in schools. The program is called Challenge Success.

If you are a student, perhaps like Jennifer you are dealing with stress. Or if you are a parent, you may see the unrelenting pressure your son or daughter faces to succeed in school. Is there an effective source of guidance that students and their parents can turn to for help?