Comments on: The REAL Valedictorian vs. the Kid Who Gets To Make the Speech http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/ Education, schools, teachers, social media, parenting, writing, educational issues Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:08:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ellie http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-13084 Ellie Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:29:07 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-13084 I made straight A's all through high school. Eight semesters, all A's. One of them, soph year, was an A minus, though, so when the two students with straight A's were evaluated, the other kid got the Val. After the seventh semester, the Val dropped out of all her college prep classes, and goofed off all that semester. I kept working and continued to make A's. Her last two report cards had D's and F's on them, but guess who was still Val. Life sucks so hard. I made straight A’s all through high school. Eight semesters, all A’s. One of them, soph year, was an A minus, though, so when the two students with straight A’s were evaluated, the other kid got the Val.

After the seventh semester, the Val dropped out of all her college prep classes, and goofed off all that semester. I kept working and continued to make A’s. Her last two report cards had D’s and F’s on them, but guess who was still Val.

Life sucks so hard.

]]> By: Nancy P. http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-13083 Nancy P. Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:23:33 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-13083 I agree with you so hard, I might be getting a kidney stone from the surge of YESness. Our system picks the top ten at the end of that seventh semester too, and after that, most of those kids quit working at all. After all, why sweat it when you're already #1? Administrations seem to be getting dumber and more like puppets every year. As for the good kids who work all eight years, well, who cares about them? Not the administration or counselors, that's for sure. I agree with you so hard, I might be getting a kidney stone from the surge of YESness. Our system picks the top ten at the end of that seventh semester too, and after that, most of those kids quit working at all. After all, why sweat it when you’re already #1? Administrations seem to be getting dumber and more like puppets every year. As for the good kids who work all eight years, well, who cares about them? Not the administration or counselors, that’s for sure.

]]> By:   Carnival of Education — Scheiss Weekly http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-13082   Carnival of Education — Scheiss Weekly Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:18:48 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-13082 [...] Mamacita (Jane Goodwin) at Scheiss Weekly (hello, I’m your host!) is always ranting about something, it seems, and since many schools have just had their graduation ceremonies, what better time than to bring out her annual whine about school systems that select the valedictorian and salutarian after the seventh... [...] [...] Mamacita (Jane Goodwin) at Scheiss Weekly (hello, I’m your host!) is always ranting about something, it seems, and since many schools have just had their graduation ceremonies, what better time than to bring out her annual whine about school systems that select the valedictorian and salutarian after the seventh… [...]

]]> By: chris http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-12555 chris Sat, 30 May 2009 14:36:21 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-12555 I work at a private high school and our valedictorian is chosen at the end of 8 semesters, which is much work for me (school counselor) in that last week, but it is only fair to the kids as you said. Other schools in our area also do the early choosing, after 3rd quarter senior year, but why? I work at a private high school and our valedictorian is chosen at the end of 8 semesters, which is much work for me (school counselor) in that last week, but it is only fair to the kids as you said. Other schools in our area also do the early choosing, after 3rd quarter senior year, but why?

]]> By: jess http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-12485 jess Thu, 28 May 2009 23:52:58 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-12485 At my school, we only went by GPA and that was decided after finals. Seniors took finals early, though, and had the last few days off, giving everyone time to figure out which person (or people) were vals or salus and time to get their speeches ready. One of our salus, though, plagiarized her speech. There was a "Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten" poster in our English classroom and she spoke it word for word...saying that she had come up with it. I mean, c'mon, most of us had stared at that thing for three or four years! We knew it wasn't real. (Of course, everyone also knew that she cheated off one of the other salus the entire four years we were in school...and dumped him right after graduation, which explains a LOT.) Grrrr... On the bright side, it was my first public poetry reading, since I included one of my (now-I-realize-it-was-not-great-but-okay-for-high-school) poems in my speech, which paved the way for me being comfy doing poetry readings in college, so I guess something good came out of it. At my school, we only went by GPA and that was decided after finals. Seniors took finals early, though, and had the last few days off, giving everyone time to figure out which person (or people) were vals or salus and time to get their speeches ready. One of our salus, though, plagiarized her speech. There was a “Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten” poster in our English classroom and she spoke it word for word…saying that she had come up with it. I mean, c’mon, most of us had stared at that thing for three or four years! We knew it wasn’t real. (Of course, everyone also knew that she cheated off one of the other salus the entire four years we were in school…and dumped him right after graduation, which explains a LOT.) Grrrr… On the bright side, it was my first public poetry reading, since I included one of my (now-I-realize-it-was-not-great-but-okay-for-high-school) poems in my speech, which paved the way for me being comfy doing poetry readings in college, so I guess something good came out of it.

]]> By: mrs t http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-12483 mrs t Thu, 28 May 2009 22:46:58 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-12483 My own high school did it much like Thumper said above. The valedictorian didn't make a speech, though, they had try-outs about 3 weeks before graduation and whoever gave the best speech was chosen to speak. I think it's the same where I teach. My own high school did it much like Thumper said above. The valedictorian didn’t make a speech, though, they had try-outs about 3 weeks before graduation and whoever gave the best speech was chosen to speak. I think it’s the same where I teach.

]]> By: Faith http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-12468 Faith Thu, 28 May 2009 15:24:03 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-12468 ...and the thing that irks me the most about graduations and Valedictorians and things of the like is this: Their speeches. Their speeches usually contain inside jokes that no one gets, funny anecdotes from THEIR experience, not the class as a whole. The Valedictorian should be the person who writes the best speech with the best advice for their classmates-the person who's seen more than just keggers on the weekends and may not have enough money, might not have been in every sport listed, and isn't in the "Top 10" of the who's who. …and the thing that irks me the most about graduations and Valedictorians and things of the like is this: Their speeches. Their speeches usually contain inside jokes that no one gets, funny anecdotes from THEIR experience, not the class as a whole. The Valedictorian should be the person who writes the best speech with the best advice for their classmates-the person who’s seen more than just keggers on the weekends and may not have enough money, might not have been in every sport listed, and isn’t in the “Top 10″ of the who’s who.

]]> By: Curmudgeon http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-12463 Curmudgeon Thu, 28 May 2009 14:11:53 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-12463 Not to change the topic, but why is education a horse-race? How can averages be any real measurement of or comparison between two students, when they are taking different courses from different teachers at (probably) different levels of difficulty? I have always been at schools with valedictorians chosen after semester 7 and I HATE it. The only thing worse would be if we had chosen them after 8 semesters because then the two or three kids would be driven batty for their entire HS careers rather than for most of it. The whole process needs a revisit. The numbers are based on the shifting whims of teachers who aren't consistent (nor should they be - this is education, not an assembly line!) Oooooh, now you've done it. You got me going! http://mathcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2009/05/of-valedictorians-and-significant.html Not to change the topic, but why is education a horse-race? How can averages be any real measurement of or comparison between two students, when they are taking different courses from different teachers at (probably) different levels of difficulty?

I have always been at schools with valedictorians chosen after semester 7 and I HATE it. The only thing worse would be if we had chosen them after 8 semesters because then the two or three kids would be driven batty for their entire HS careers rather than for most of it. The whole process needs a revisit. The numbers are based on the shifting whims of teachers who aren’t consistent (nor should they be – this is education, not an assembly line!)

Oooooh, now you’ve done it. You got me going!

http://mathcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2009/05/of-valedictorians-and-significant.html

]]> By: Margaret http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-12436 Margaret Thu, 28 May 2009 00:47:58 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-12436 We have a Top Ten and not specific people, so I can't speak to that. However, I do know that any change in the student's senior schedule must be sent to the university at which he/she has been accepted--as well as an official transcript of the senior second semester grades. Some colleges (University of Washington for one) have actually pulled back acceptance on a couple of slacker kids. More colleges should do so! We have a Top Ten and not specific people, so I can’t speak to that. However, I do know that any change in the student’s senior schedule must be sent to the university at which he/she has been accepted–as well as an official transcript of the senior second semester grades. Some colleges (University of Washington for one) have actually pulled back acceptance on a couple of slacker kids. More colleges should do so!

]]> By: Lady in a Smalltown http://www.janegoodwin.net/2009/05/26/the-real-valedictorian-vs-the-kid-who-gets-to-make-the-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-12432 Lady in a Smalltown Wed, 27 May 2009 23:46:42 +0000 http://www.janegoodwin.net/?p=2318#comment-12432 My husband was the salutatorian of our class and I was friends with the valedictorian and the #3 and #4 students. (The top four in a class get an award at graduation.) Even in 1994 our school figured out the valedictorian at nearly the last minute. From what my husband has told me their positions changed frequently throughout the second semester and it was really up for grabs until the last minute. The bummer for my husband is that UVM (most expensive state school in the country) gives a full ride to all Vermont valedictorians. Our #1 did not go to UVM, but my husband did. My husband was the salutatorian of our class and I was friends with the valedictorian and the #3 and #4 students. (The top four in a class get an award at graduation.) Even in 1994 our school figured out the valedictorian at nearly the last minute. From what my husband has told me their positions changed frequently throughout the second semester and it was really up for grabs until the last minute.

The bummer for my husband is that UVM (most expensive state school in the country) gives a full ride to all Vermont valedictorians. Our #1 did not go to UVM, but my husband did.

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