Valedictorian Essay

Improved Essays
“How are students supposed to learn if they can’t see a colorful data wall? How are they going to develop necessary life skills if they don’t see a class objective every day? How are students supposed to become more knowledgeable if we don’t interrupt daily studies for mandated tests?” Surprisingly, it is not lazy students complaining, but teachers that often make such sarcastic remarks. It is not only students that are irritated and aware of the problem with our school system, the teachers bluntly speak of their own dissatisfaction. Many often say “The higher ups...My boss...They...” speaking with detachment from requirements that have no solid connection to the teaching process, doing “beneficial” classroom duties with distaste saying …show more content…
Probably the one of the most well-known awards is being chosen as the number one, as valedictorian. Margaret Talbot explored the impact of choosing valedictorians, using factual research and interviews. She elaborates on the possible requirements and processes that can be used to make such an election. Something interesting she cares to share is the fact that perhaps a valedictorian should not be the smartest student, but the one that exemplifies our most basic and admirable American qualities: “prodigious energy, tactical savvy” and determination (Talbot). If this type of student is recognized, perhaps so many won’t give up on their non-academic interests. Talbot, supported by data, concluded that valedictorians “conformed to the expectations of school” and choose “socially and financially secure” careers. They parted from athletic and musical aspirations. The truth of such a disheartening discovery concerns the issue of how schools use sheets of paper to “confer a status symbol upon it students,” as self-educated Malcolm X puts it. Education is not measured by certificates or medals, but by personal wisdom and understanding. It requires personal evaluation, no one else can fully determine how much you

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    I am honored and excited to be considered for the National Junior Honor Society. I would love to be a part of this organization because it would provide opportunities for me in the future. Also it can give me a sense of community. I can promote all of the NJHS tenets but I am only going to write about service, character and scholarship. I feel I already work hard at exhibiting these principles in my everyday life.…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Choosing a valedictorian is a tradition in American high schools as it creates a sense of pride in the students who earn the title, but is it always a good thing? In “Best in Class” by Margaret Talbot, she creates a message that the issue of valedictorian isn’t necessarily a bad one, but it can be modified to become a more pleasurable tradition as it creates an unhappiness in a certain group of people rather than giving satisfaction to everyone as a whole. Talbot applies an appeal to logos as well as anecdotes of the experiences of other students in order to portray her message to the audience. Although Talbot doesn’t explicitly state her claim, it can be inferred through her use of logos that she does not support the traditional way of choosing…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The National Honor Society serves as a symbol of excellence to the student body of South Effingham High School. As a hard-working, goal-oriented individual, I feel that being a member of the National Honor Society would greatly benefit my character and scholastic abilities. After graduating from high school, I plan to attend the University of Georgia, and later Emory University to attain a degree in orthopedic surgery. I would then like to establish my own practice. As an orthopedic surgeon, I will work with the utmost care to help those who need my expertise.…

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When I entered the seventh grade, I learned that there 's so many things that I could do with my life. There were endless amounts of clubs and activities to join. At first I found it to be immensely overwhelming, but then I realized that some activities seemed to really draw my attention. So I joined band and athletics. As a little girl band music and sports pretty much consumed me.…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The fact that I’m able to keep my grade above a 95% without paying any attention during class, or oftentimes not showing up at all, displays that there’s a humongous problem in our educational system. I recognize that I’m lucky to live in a country that gives everyone a chance at an education and a bright future, yet every day I see it being taken for granted or wasted; As a result, I’ve slowly begun realizing that America’s high schools need to make a…

    • 1023 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Education in schools has long been a heated topic, especially in regards to what its purpose is. On one hand, some, such as the ACSD Committee, argue that education’s purpose is “to provide for the fullest possible development of each learner for living morally, creatively, and productively in a democratic society.” However, others identify a far more critical purpose of education, such as that of Jean Anyon. Anyon theorizes in her article “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work,” that the function of our educational systems is to uphold the structure of today’s society that keeps the working class majority oppressed and its top 1% superior to the working class through the way the curriculum is taught. As someone who has been in school…

    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    College is a coupon for success. In today’s generation, one is seen to be most successful and more likely to achieve accomplishments if they have a degree; in addition, the better the degree, the more qualifications are perceived to be prosperous. The point in general is that college, itself, holds a lot of potential that affects an individual’s life tremendously, therefore students see they have the right to verdict and combat for the grade in which they consider is deserving and reasonable. In Brent Staples’ essay, “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s,” he gives reasoning for the great grade inflation that is steadily increasing.…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Students had to realize its importance for their success in life and the only way for this to occur was by accepting and succeeded through the curriculum established by these colleges. However, before they truly understood its importance, Pace makes it clear that, “They attend classes but make no effort to learn anything” (p. 11) Students were more concerned about power and status within society than in academic curriculum that would advance them further in life than ever thought of (p. 11). It was because of this that when introduced to the new curriculum, many could not pass the test and would instead result in failure. “Failure meant that their reputations as men of honor might come into question.”…

    • 1527 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    To get inducted into National Honors Society, an individual must possess and demonstrate the four following qualities which are: scholarship, leadership, service and character. Being a part of National Honors Society is more than just something students can put on a college application form. It’s a responsibility we as potential candidates are supposed to fulfill, as we are expected to continue possessing the four important qualities for the rest of our high school careers. In this paper, I will strive to prove that I am willing to take up that responsibility and to show that I possess all of the requirements needed to be a member of such a prestigious organization.…

    • 1302 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Elite student in the 21st century are often described as, quick, witty, or shape. Now as time has passed, smartness found in students is not creative or intellectual but rather standardized and generic. Originality, within the student body has fairly decreased over the years. As the school system becomes more standardized, students start to lack creatively when the hierarchies main goal is for individuals to fit in a one-size-fits all model. In “Biography of Hegemony” and “Project Classroom Makeover,” both authors address their concern that the hierarchy in schools and Wall Street are placing standards on individuals solely on the importance of name and test scores.…

    • 1684 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    National Junior Honor Society has been a dream for me over the course of my school career. However, I never thought I’d be able to make it come true. During my life I’ve seen notable examples of leadership, scholarship, service, citizenship, and character in this world and they’ve influenced me as a person and through NJHS I can make each of these pillars more of a part of my life. Leadership, to me, is being someone anyone can look up to. You don’t have to be the strongest, or the smartest, or any of those.…

    • 666 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    National Honor Society

    • 709 Words
    • 3 Pages

    High school are the years of a person’s life where they develop their habits, worth ethic, and outlook on life. During these prime years, a person develops their character. It is vital that efforts are made to ensure that all students have the chance to start life out on the right foot and create a proactive personality. This is the sole purpose of the National Honors Society. For the past ninety three years, the National Honors Society has helped shape the characters of young men and women across the country.…

    • 709 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Countless students and teachers go to school every day and work very hard to meet what is asked of each of them. Teachers work more than 40 hours a week, especially when there are events going on throughout the school year. Students go to class to earn an “A,” not to learn what the teacher is teaching the class due to the fact that students were taught to contently earn a letter grade in that class. However, teachers are not at fault either because the school board and administrators give the teachers a timeline of all the curriculum the students must learn to a certain point in time of each marking period. In “Against School” by John Taylor Gatto, he describes how numerous students and teachers go to school and they are just dullness is so…

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    National Honors Society is something I am honored to be asked to be a part of, it is something I have been working for, that just comes to show that if you put your mind to something and become dedicated that anything is possible. NHS is designed to help better students, and to show that you can always do better. It is a respectable program for students who have excelled in school, which includes: no discipline referrals, maintaining a high GPA throughout the year, and being a well behaved student. I as a student of W.T. Sampson high school would like to be a part of NHS because of all the hard work and dedication I have put into this school year. Another reason would be how good it looks on college applications; it would give me higher chances being accepted.…

    • 466 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Calvin Coolidge had once said, “No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been given for what he gave.” I believe that this quote truly defines one point the National Honor Society is trying to get across to young students. That is to serve others before yourself and to give help to others where help is needed. The National Honor Society nominee should show excellent leadership, serve the community and his or her school, and finally display exquisite character at all times.…

    • 1419 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics