MAST is a mandatory “class” at Chapin High School where students must go to teachers, who supposedly are expected to form relationships with students and give them information about different aspects on school life and check on their grades and to help them if necessary. However, that is simply just not the case.

         MAST is really just a place where students are forced to sit in their assigned classroom, and 9 out of 10 times they just sit there and do absolutely nothing for a whole 30 minutes, while they could be doing something productive such as going to a teacher for extra help in a class. Even more, the information (pointless surveys, videos, etc.) students do receive is all worthless and unnecessary junk that is insignificant and should be no reason for keeping students from their lunch or Power Hour time.

         Ridiculously, if a student skips MAST, they have to suffer the consequence of being written up and/or serve detention, either one day after school or in the morning or before school on a late Wednesday, which is a very harsh and unfair punishment for such a minor “crime.”

         Students are testifying how insignificant mast is. Specifically, Olivia Calhoun, a junior at Chapin says, “I believe MAST is unnecessary because our teachers do not show us what is supposed to be shown. In my mast class, there are only about 6 kids, and we sit there and do nothing for the entire 30 minutes. We should get a full hour lunch, and enrichment should be provided on Friday during Power Hour instead of MAST.”

         Calhoun went on to say, “I would rather hear what needs to be heard in MAST over the announcements or from one of our teachers than going to Mast for 30 minutes and not doing anything.”

         Mason Parker, a junior, at Chapin says, “There is no point in going. All the information they tell us can be sent an email or such and they punish you if you don’t go. It’s stupid.”

         Not only students but some teachers at Chapin have input to share as well. Mrs. Estep, a teacher at Chapin says, “I think MAST is very good for the freshman because they are new and have a lot of insecurities and questions. However, I think everyone else should be able to attend enrichment and/or lunch.”

         However, Dr. Weathersbee,  also a teacher at Chapin says, “Mast was a program founded about 12 years ago, and it was certainly much different than it is today.”

         Weathersbee went on to say, “The idea of MAST has good intent but its not necessarily effective. For instance, teachers met with administrator Mr. Hiller last year for a committee for about 2 hours and we basically got nothing done. It was stated before from admin. to teachers, when nothing was to be done in MAST to just “meet with your students” which is potentially and literally doing nothing.  (WHERE DOES THE QUOTE END?)

         Dr. Weathersbee also says that “even if MAST was all about meeting and connecting with students, 30 minutes is simply not enough.”

         MAST has proven itself to be useless and is just simply a needle in the side for both teachers and students. It has no significant use for the school and only serves as an event that just hangs over people’s heads, who just want it to be over with. Administration at Chapin should be encouraged to stop MAST, an event which wastes time and essentially hurts the students.