We're all Number 1! Is 21 Valedictorians too many?

ASTalumna06 · #1 06-02-2013, 12:43 PM

What say you, GCers? Should there only be one valedictorian? Is this more of that "everyone gets a trophy" mentality? Is this indicative of a watering down of grades and of teachers handing out As, as the article suggests? Or is rewarding and praising multiple students a good thing?

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...-too-many?lite

Quote:

When the seniors say farewell to South Medford High in Oregon next weekend, one of the school's 21 valedictorians will lead the flag salute, another valedictorian will recite the history of the 365-member class, and a third will introduce the keynote speaker. But all 21 can enjoy a sweet piece of the ceremony, if they choose.

At Enterprise High in Alabama, the valedictorians — all 34 of them — plucked names from a hat to gain coveted speaking spots during their commencement earlier this month. And at Bluffton High in Ohio, more than 10 percent of this year’s 84-member senior class carried the title “valedictorian.”

As graduation season peaks, numerous high schools are rightfully praising their clusters of valedictorians yet also forsaking a time and tradition when just one elite student received that honor — along with the lone ranking of No. 1 in class.

Sen's Revenge · #2 06-02-2013, 01:07 PM

This is so crazy I don't even know where to begin.

At one of the schools, it seems as though they don't weigh the advanced courses more heavily and that 4.0 is the highest GPA you can get. The more rigorous courses should be worth more.

And if there are 34 Valedictorians, I'm sorry but they need to be finding a way to determine who the "true" valedictorian us, whether through lot, vote, or hunger games.

AOII Angel · #3 06-02-2013, 01:26 PM

I guess you can have that many students who never made a B. what are you going to do? Go back and average out the number grades to see who had the highest A?

In my attending's son's school in San Antonio, students got points towards Valedictorian status. grades were only part of the equation. Extra-curricular activities and clubs counted. My attending was pissed because his son with all A's was below another kid with the same grades. His son was quarterback on the football team and had been a 4 year varsity member while the other kid played in the band. Apparently the band counted for more points than football.

ETA: I told my attending to quit bitching since his son won the top scholarship given to incoming students to UT. Wah, wah, wah. I was salutatorian. How will I ever recover?

FSUZeta · #4 06-02-2013, 01:26 PM

Perhaps it is time to place Valedictorian/Salutatorian by the wayside and go with Summa, Magna, and Cum Laude. Or, as Sen suggests, Hunger Games.

ASTalumna06 · #5 06-02-2013, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I guess you can have that many students who never made a B. what are you going to do? Go back and average out the number grades to see who had the highest A?

How have they been doing it up to this point? This is the first I've heard of there being multiple valedictorians at a school, so there must have been some system of figuring out who was truly #1.

I had just over 900 students in my senior class, and we still only had one valedictorian.

What seems strange to me is that more than 10% of a graduating class can be valedictorian, as is the case for that Ohio high school in the article. Something seems really off there. Even 21 valedictorians out of 365 students seems excessive. I don't blame colleges for questioning how that can happen and for praising the valedictorian status a little less than they have in the past.

MaryPoppins · #6 06-02-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Perhaps it is time to place Valedictorian/Salutatorian by the wayside and go with Summa, Magna, and Cum Laude. Or, as Sen suggests, Hunger Games.

Sounds like a plan!

IUHoosiergirl88 · #7 06-02-2013, 02:33 PM

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000..._CJEducation_7

Maybe those 21 vals should hear this speech in 4 years

Old_Row · #8 06-02-2013, 02:45 PM

I honestly think that if you have that many valedictorians then maybe your classes aren't hard enough? At least they should weigh in the AP courses and maybe extracurriculars too. It would be much easier to get a 4.0 if you took just the regular classes and didn't do anything with the rest of your time but study while other people are involved and such.

IndianaSigKap · #9 06-02-2013, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Perhaps it is time to place Valedictorian/Salutatorian by the wayside and go with Summa, Magna, and Cum Laude.

This is what many schools are beginning to adopt. The speakers are chosen by either the student body or by tryouts. Colored cords or stoles are given to the students earning those three distinctions with each color corresponding to a certain level.

kaeb · #10 06-02-2013, 03:54 PM

My high school graduating class was 160 people and about 40 of us were valedictorians, as the title was conferred upon anyone with a 4.0 or higher, and AP/IB classes were weighted with an extra point (so an A was a 5.0, B 4.0, etc). So I graduated with like a 4.2 weighted, 3.7 unweighted.

Out of the 40 or so of us, we had to like apply to be valedictorian speakers, I think, and two were selected to speak at graduation. I don't remember if they were chosen by the graduating class, by teachers, or some combination, though.

honeychile · #11 06-02-2013, 04:00 PM

I would think that this is what happens to a society when everybody gets trophies for showing up, from T-Ball to GPAs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Perhaps it is time to place Valedictorian/Salutatorian by the wayside and go with Summa, Magna, and Cum Laude. Or, as Sen suggests, Hunger Games.

I vote Hunger Games.

kaeb · #12 06-02-2013, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeychile

I would think that this is what happens to a society when everybody gets trophies for showing up, from T-Ball to GPAs.

For me, at least, it had the opposite effect—when 1/4 of the class is a valedictorian, it really doesn't mean anything to be a valedictorian, and I think most of us knew/realized that. Besides, by that point, we already knew where we were going to college, which really kind of established the hierarchy of intelligence, as awful as that sounds.

edit: maybe that's not the opposite effect, I'm not sure. Eh, oh well.

ASTalumna06 · #13 06-02-2013, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaeb

My high school graduating class was 160 people and about 40 of us were valedictorians, as the title was conferred upon anyone with a 4.0 or higher, and AP/IB classes were weighted with an extra point (so an A was a 5.0, B 4.0, etc). So I graduated with like a 4.2 weighted, 3.7 unweighted.

And this is why the valedictorian accomplishment is going to become meaningless.

ETA: You beat me to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaeb

For me, at least, it had the opposite effect—when 1/4 of the class is a valedictorian, it really doesn't mean anything to be a valedictorian, and I think most of us knew/realized that.

honeychile · #14 06-02-2013, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaeb

For me, at least, it had the opposite effect—when 1/4 of the class is a valedictorian, it really doesn't mean anything to be a valedictorian, and I think most of us knew/realized that. Besides, by that point, we already knew where we were going to college, which really kind of established the hierarchy of intelligence, as awful as that sounds.

edit: maybe that's not the opposite effect, I'm not sure. Eh, oh well.

Which is why giving everybody a trophy is false self-esteem.

Sciencewoman · #15 06-02-2013, 05:21 PM

Our local high school uses the term Senior Scholars for the top 25 students -- using a weighted combination of 50% GPA, 25% ACT score, and 25% advanced/AP classes. This replaced the old Valedictorian/Salutatorian system about 15 years ago. I think it's fair and it works well. My daughter worked hard to earn this honor. She graduated 5th in her class, and they make a nice fuss over all 25 kids. I think this is much better than showcasing just a couple hard-working kids.

On the other hand...I went to the neighboring school. Shortly before I graduated, they got rid of the V/S system and started designating Distinguished Academic Leaders...those with a 3.9 or above. My graduating class of almost 500 (last of the Baby Boomers...largest class up to that time, or since) had 10 classmates who earned this honor. Last year's graduating class, with 100 less students, had almost 60 DALs. That's grade inflation for you.