What keeps students motivated?

This article from Phi Delta Kappan features responses from Educators Rising students about what keeps them motivated in school and what causes them to shut down. The students mention various factors that motivate them, such as having a future focus, working towards goals, engaging in creative projects and group activities, and seeing their peers succeed. On the other hand, they mention that excessive workloads and seeing their peers struggle with mental health can cause them to shut down. The students also mention the importance of balancing extracurricular activities with schoolwork. [Extracted from the article]