Q: What is your name and grade?
A: “My name is Carmine Sciascia. I’m a senior at Lakeland High School.”
Q: How do you manage stress from school?
A: “Some ways I handle stress in school is by listening to music like heavy metal, especially bands like Deftones or Tool. I also like hanging out with friends like Troy and AJ, and getting outside. I love ice and rock climbing with my stepdad. Pretty much anything to get my mind off of school and helps me put my focus back on track.”
Q: As a teenager, is independence more important than belonging?
A: “As a teenager, I think for myself personally I’ve always been big on being independent and doing my own things. Finding who you are as a person and becoming comfortable with yourself is far more important than conforming to the group to feel like you belong somewhere. I don’t think wanting belonging is a bad thing, I just think being comfortable by yourself takes you farther in life.”
Q: How does your mindset affect your academic performance?
A: “My mindset affects my performance in all sorts of ways. Having a negative mindset deems getting negative results. Having a positive mindset gets me exactly where I need and where I want to be. Your mindset is everything in life.”
Q: In your opinion, how does peer pressure influence decision-making in high school?
A: “Peer pressure can affect people in both positive and negative ways throughout high school. It all comes down to the people you surround yourself with. You can have friends who encourage you to do good and call you out when you’re about to make a bad choice, or have friends who encourage you to give in to bad habits.”
Q: What’s your favorite memory here at Lakeland High School?
A: “I don’t necessarily have one specific favorite memory here at Lakeland. Every single moment I’ve had here has been valuable and memorable. From first coming here as a freshman, all the way to where I am now as a senior, every moment spent here has been worthwhile.”