Editor's Note: Mary Kate McNulty of Rogers Heritage High School and Michael Kinzer of Rogers High School were named to Northwest Arkansas Newspaper's All-Academic Team. Team members were brought together and asked their opinions on issues pertinent to themselves and the future.

What do you think has been the most important part of your education?

Mary Kate McNulty, Rogers Heritage High School: I think Rogers Public Schools do a good job challenging their students in the curriculum. They have a massive number of (Advanced Placement) classes offered, which a lot of schools don’t have the luxury to be able to do. I think the AP curriculum definitely challenges you.

Michael Kinzer, Rogers High School: I’ll try to give a more off-the-wall answer. Obviously, AP classes, challenging classes, good teachers, parents who push you and tell you can do whatever you want to, those are all important.

I think the most important part of our education is those moments when a teacher tells a story and all the students are really engaged.

It’s those moments, like in history class when you talk about the Little Rock Nine, when everyone’s not necessarily crying, but it feels like in the moment they’re not just studying history, they’re part of it.

What do you think will be some of the biggest challenges for your generation?

Mary Kate: I think our generation struggles with having things handed to them, and they’re not forced to be independent and work for what they get. Whether it’s the government’s fault or their families’ fault, just the way they were raised, it’s a huge problem.

You have to be proactive in your life, and you can’t just wait around for something great to happen to you or something to start off your life.

I don’t know if it’s social media that’s distracting us from what we should be doing and what our real focus should be, or other distractions, but I think it’s very important that we focus on our priorities in life and what we want to get out of it.

Michael: I completely agree. Complacency is one of the biggest problems with the American generation. When you grow up and you have the guarantee of basic food, shelter and life, it takes away — the things that people in third-world countries and developing countries go through, it makes them really value life.

I guess probably the biggest danger — biggest danger, biggest threat — to our generation is a kind of materialistic self-interest.

How do you think your time in local schools has prepared you for that?

Mary Kate: It’s really if you’re in the right classes that stuff isn’t provided for you. By being in AP classes, you’re expected to pull your own weight. Your teachers aren’t supposed to hand out, this is what’s on the test, this is what you’re going to need to ace the class. It’s up to you. You read the book every night.

And they don’t hand out notes. Whatever’s on the test, they cover it or they don’t. It’s up to you, and if you want the grade, then you have to work for it.

It’s just expected going into it, but I think it’s hard. I’ve been taking AP classes since 10th grade, but a lot of people who are just starting their senior year, it’s like a reality check for them.

Michael: One thing, going to Rogers High School, you see people who want to be brilliant in their lives. They want to be successful and make a lot of money, a lot of them.

But you see so many kids who are just trying to get out of it. I was talking to this one girl who’s in my class, she’s from a very low-income family, and life at home is just very rough for her. She wasn’t being antagonistic or anything, and I’m glad she said this.

She said “Look at how hard Kinzer studies and how much work he puts in there so he can grow up and be really successful. But there’s so many kids out there who work that hard just to be able to get out of this life, just to escape.”

It’s like so many people in America, and in this world overall — just to be able to see part of that at wonderful Rogers High School, it puts everything in perspective.

What do you think the future holds for Northwest Arkansas?

Mary Kate: I’m from Little Rock, and I moved here in fourth grade. North Little Rock, actually, And in that area it’s kind of known, if you want a good education, you go to private schools. Then I moved up here, no private schools — where am I supposed to go?

One of Rogers’ great strengths is its public school system. I think Rogers Public Schools has gone above and beyond what I expected a public school experience to be like, and I predict for the future that Rogers will continue to grow because it’s really a great place to live.

Michael: One thing I’ve heard so many teachers talk about is that as Rogers grows, it kind of loses that small town feel. There are benefits of that. You have better school systems, better roads, better shopping choices.

But I think Rogers has grown so fast — not Rogers, all of Northwest Arkansas — it’s become a blend between a small town and a larger suburban area.

My calculus teacher had my precalculus teacher as a student, because there’s that connectedness.

As Rogers grows and Northwest Arkansas grows, you’re going to lose some of that small-town quaintness.

What advice do you have for incoming freshmen at your high school?

Mary Kate: I would say to try to find a balance between a rigorous academic schedule and between clubs and classes and sports, but then allow yourself to have some fun. I know I had a hard time finding that balance, and I overloaded myself. I would just cry at night because I was so tired and I wanted to sleep, but I couldn’t because I had so much homework to do. I think it’s important to find that balance. My sister is an incoming freshman, and I hope she does that.

I mean, not enough to where you’re slacking off, but you still want to enjoy life.

And I would just say to realize what you do your freshman year in high school matters when your applying for colleges and scholarships your senior year. It’s not a time to goof off. What you do then really does matter.

Michael: Kind of random little tidbits of advice.

My dad’s always told me — he’s in the business world — take every opportunity you can to speak publicly. That’s a valuable tool you have the rest of your life.

If there’s a leadership position and no one else is running for it, or no one’s qualified, or heck, any leadership position you’re somewhat interested in, take a try for it, because leadership’s a wonderful tool.

Find an extracurricular you can stick with, like a sport or an instrument or choir, stuff like that. Something that allows you to be more well-rounded, I guess.

Like Mary Kate said, challenge yourself. Don’t overload yourself, but challenge yourself in a healthy manner. All those abilities you have, they’re there for a reason.