Suggestions for HS academic awards criteria

mommusic
Sun, 05 Nov 2006 21:37:35 +0000

An anecdote and some thoughts:

One year in elementary school (small, private) my son didn’t get an award he obviously deserved. It was explained to me later by the principal that he had already received one award and they didn’t think it was “fair” for him to receive another. Meanwhile people were wondering, how could this kid not be receiving an award everyone knew he was the best choice for?

That was the year, I remember, everyone got some sort of award, and it became obvious most of them were made up for the occasion. Self-esteem awards, we called them.

In the HS, however, there were definite conditions for subject awards–GPA, attending club meetings, class participation, etc. And no one teacher made the decisions.

Sure, some kids got more than one award and many kids got none. Another night is for sports awards and again, there are winners and “losers.” But I think parents have to help their children know their strengths and find ways to stand out in something. A lot of kids who are otherwise average are the best office helpers, school-spirited student council reps, tutors, Key Club members etc. They raise money for breast cancer or throw parties for inner-city children. Some “average” students in HS turn out to be the most successful in business because of their people skills. Other kids don’t come out of their shells until college.

I guess I’m saying awards are nice to put on your college apps, but they’re not the last word in success.