For students everywhere, the two most important things to them in school are most likely their athletics and education.

But how do students juggle the demands of academics and athletics, especially with the pressure to win in the East Valley, as well as the new Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) degree offered at PHS?

Many teachers say that losing focus on academics to focus on athletics is never the right way to deal with being a student athlete. Despite this, some students have made the choice between STEM and sports.

Though an educational opportunity for students, STEM has been causing students who are both academically and athletically involved added stress since being introduced last year.

The program is not for the faint of heart and is mentally demanding, considering it deals primarily with mathematics and science. For athletes, this means having a combination of time-consuming sports and academically challenging classes.

According to Fred Mann, STEM counselor, balancing the two can and has been done.

“You’ll just have to be a very efficient human being,” he said.

The most difficult year to balance, Mann said, will be junior year. With a mandatory U.S. history credit plus two math and science classes junior year, many students in STEM and sports will notice the challenge.

“I honestly came to Perry because of STEM,” varsity soccer player Sarah Lankford – a freshman STEM student – said. “It was harder to balance the workload as well as attending the later night games.”

In order to keep up with her classes during the season, Lankford says her days start a little earlier than most teenagers.

“I wake up at like 4 a.m. A lot of times I end up doing my homework at lunch,” she said. Lankford also plans on taking summer classes to offset the academic and athletic workload.

Some staff members, like math teacher Stephanie Carrasco – who also coaches swim – feel participating in both is the student’s choice, but education comes first.

“I think athletes who play sports are students first,” she said. “I encourage my students and athletes to do well in academics and be involved in more than just the athletic part of school.”

“It is a hassle but is well worth it in the end,” sophomore volleyball player Abbie McDonald said.

With STEM and a varsity sport, the few students who do pull this off know the benefits and factors which will help them in the end.

Lankford feels that STEM does not get in the way of sports. “[It] gets in the way junior and senior year when you have to take the extra math and science classes; but I don’t think it will really get in the way [that bad].”

Next year will be the first time PHS has upperclassmen STEM students. Junior and senior STEM students have a heavier workload, which may include summer internships.