Posted on 05/29/2008 8:41:27 PM PDT by TexasNative2000
This just plain sucks!
Actually, I was in a very similar situation when I was in high school. Out of a class of 88 (in rural Southwest Virginia), I was our school's valedictorian. From the start in 8th Grade, I had planned on working my butt off the first three years in high school and then coast during my Senior year, so that I could pretty much have a good time, a la Ferris Bueller. All of my competing classmates did the exact opposite, goofing off early and then crunching their Senior year.
As it happened, by the time my Senior year rolled around in 1989, I had a 4.00 GPA, but only needed Senior English, U.S. Government (joke of a class), and an elective course (Marching Band) to meet my 22 required "bare-minimum" hours for graduation. By lunctime, I was finished and out of there, much to the consternation of most of my competing classmates, who were just then busting their butts trying to catch up with me by taking tough AP classes (which weren't weighted in those days).
When graduation time came, I was still the top dog in my class by virtue of the numbers, with my closest competitor a few hundredths of a percent behind me, coming in as Salutatorian. A LOT was at stake, with a full scholarship to the local college for the Valedictorian and a number of perks.
Consequently, a delegation of my competitors' parents went to the school board to try and have me disqualified for not having worked hard enough my Senior year and for being a "part time" student. Fortunately for me, our school superintendent had some big cajones, looked at the numbers, and sent them packing. I gave my valedictory speech, which I wrote in about 20 minutes, and then went on to an illustrious academic career, earning two Associate of Applied Science degrees, a Bachelor of Science degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a Master of Arts degree, with one year of Ph.D work before getting amrried and finally joining the real world.
There were a lot of hard feelings in my case, and the following year, the rules were changed to prevent anyone else from doing what I did.
In this particular story, I'm very sympathetic to this hard working girl, and I hope her parents get a lawyer and get immediate releif. If the school really wanted to do the right thing, then it would have given her a schoarship as well to reward her drive and effort.
Well duh, Mila! Of course this girl will have no trouble getting many great scholarship offers. She doesn’t need their paltry one year award. It’s early and I’m not fully awake.
Two valedictorians is better than one. She isn’t being denied anything.
Although the scholarship from the state is a wonderful reward, I cannot believe that with her grades, and her perfect SAT (also in the article) that she will be paying a penny for her education. I am sure there are other scholarships (full rides) that she is eligible for with those grades and accomplishments.
Par for public screwl.
Reminds me of when my brother's daughter graduated from HS.
Top GPA, no absents, 4 year athletics letter in 3 sports.
Chosen St. Louis Post-Dispatch Student Athlete
Heavily recruited for 4-year Atheletic full ride Scholarship
Took every Advanced Class available
Did volunteer counseling and Atheletic Coaching.
Lost out to a girl with a matching GPA but without the resume' who couldn't make it in the advanced classes and ended up dropping out of the local jr. college.
Go figger.
That’s true. Good point.
What really irked me was that the school would not take into consideration any after school employment. A lot of us worked through high school so we could afford college, and it diminished our chances of high school honors.
IMO, one of the greatest dangers we face in our society is blind worship of the law.
Considering what’s going on in TX right now with the FLDS and the kids being taken from their parents on some annon. phone call from CO ... thank God it wasn’t Waco all over again ....
New Math.
Success is the best revenge.
I think they should do away with letter grades, there is a big difference between getting a 100, and a 90, yet they both are scored the same in terms of GPA.
When I was in Australia they took care of that problem by giving letter grades all the way down to zero. That way you always new how badly you failed their brutal exams.
Father:”You got a Z, IN SCIENCE !!??”
shudder
I would give you an award for spelling too.
Well, yes. I was speaking in a broader sense though your point is well taken.
Yet more stupid liberal rules. Some college should immediately snap this youngster up and give her a free ride. Her brain is worth more than a bunch of gangster basketball players and a bunch of football players who barely make the grade. Yea, yea, I know all the players are not border line, but a WHOLE bunch are.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.