On Thursday, January 20, 2011, over 200 parents, educators and students attended Harbor Country Day School’s screening of the nationally acclaimed documentary Race To Nowhere.

Immediately following the presentation, a panel of distinguished experts in the fields of education, college admissions and child psychology, discussed the issues raised in the film. Audience members posed questions, expressed concerns and actively sought solutions to the problems currently plaguing the American educational system.

To begin our continuing discussion, we thought that we would list the potential solutions offered by the filmmakers themselves and ask for feedback. As such, here is the advice given to both students and parents regarding the issues raised in a Race To Nowhere. We will be posting the suggestions for teachers, administrators and medical professionals nest week.

Students

-Speak to the adults in your life about how you are feeling.

-Get plenty of sleep.

-Unplug, slow down and make time for things you enjoy.

-Limit extra-curricular and AP classes.

-Learn about the impact of caffeine and performance-enhancing medications.

Parents

-Discuss what success means to your family.

-Reduce performance pressure.

-Avoid over-scheduling.

-Allow time for play, family, downtime and sleep.

-Focus on the “right fit” for college rather than the “best” college.

-Attend school board meetings where education policies are established.