Who typcially decides book awards?

Parents Forum
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<p>Who typically decides the awards at your school? The school counselors, or a faculty committee, for instance? College scholarhips are obvious. Any non-college scholarship recepients, I would assume are selected by the giving organization, but who chooses the other more “generic” ones? Our HS, for instance, has numerous memorial awards, academic awards, armed service awards, and now “book” awards. </p>

<p>I just returned from the awards day. Very disappointing. ( I assume this is a typical complaint.) </p>

<p>Nearly all the book awards were given to guys, and a surprising mix. (One of the top students, involved in leadership and plenty of other activities, did not receive any). Another student received nearly half. We also have plenty of girls near the top of the class, who do well in both humanities and the math/sciences, but they were definitely not well-represented in the book awards category. Who typically chooses the book award recipients? The representative from the school giving the awards, or the high school? I could justify if the college representatives were responsible, assuming they are trying to market themselves more to males, due to the unequal enrollments. I’ll be very disheartened if it is the high school who makes the decisions, especially since one student received so many.</p>

<p>Most if not all the awards based on “service” were only given to students who participated in school - sponsored service activities. I know several who do incredible things outside the school, and obviously unless the high chool knows, they cannot give credit for it. But would they not know by the senior students’ transcripts and college applications?</p>

<p>Two great young men, near top of their class, had very different awards results. Both took the same classes. Both had the same grades. Both tested well (although I don’t know their actual scores). One was in the arts, and the other was in sports (I was told, he didn’t play much, but a great part of the team). One walked away with all the awards – the sports student. (Neither of these students are my children, btw). </p>

<p>I know we’ve discussed the sports issue plenty on other forums. I even made a comment in the past, that I felt our school looks at more. It did not appear to be the case this year! Just surprised… That is why I am curious who typically chooses the recipients?</p>

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<p>At our school the academic awards are chosen by the teacher- usually the student has the highest grade in the class (example- the Calculus Award). They also have different classifications, like regular Physics and AP Physics (sort of unfair because it would be easier to have the highest grade in regular Physics rather than AP Physics- but hey life isn’t fair). The community service awards are usually based on quantity (hours). Sports awards are decided by coaches or voted on by players. The character and leadership awards (I think of them as non-criteria because it’s hard to objectively define them) are decided by administration. Those are probably the most controversial. There are college awards that students get based on their applications to the college. Some scholarships are purely merit based and many require demonstrated financial need. Our awards ceremony was a few days ago. Some kids walked off with a bucket load. I figure two weeks from now nobody will care. Good luck to everyone, after graduation you’re all starting from square one again!</p>

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<p>I don’t know who chooses, but I know for a fact that high school awards are given out not just for merit (conversation with someone who had input on awarding them). It has struck me as somewhat of a popularity contest…I’ve told my D to pay no attention to it.</p>

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<p>Our seem to be a popularity contest as well. :frowning: It’s too bad that the criteria or selection process remains secretive.</p>

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<p>At most schools, teachers nominate for book awards, and others, often senior guidance officials, make the decisions. </p>

<p>Yes, of course it smacks of favoritism. In fact, that’s a big reason for having them: a way to award and recognize students that would not be recognized otherwise. After all, not every kid will get into a name college; not every kid will get a significant merit award; few kids get national honors.</p>

<p>I had the same reaction as some of you when my D received an award her Jr. year and nothing her senior year. Then I talked to the head of guidance, who brought me back to earth. In short, what she told me was that in the broader scope of things, it does not matter. She felt that colleges don’t pay much attention to these things, and the senior year awards are too late anyway.</p>

<p>So, I think the process is less secretive and more informal. After all, it’s hard to describe a formal process when one doesn’t exist.</p>

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<p>Color me clueless. What are “book” awards?</p>

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<p>Book awards, at least in my school, are awarded to Juniors during the annual “Honors and Awards Night” that is a part of the year-end ceremonies and celebrations. From my understanding, these awards are selected by local alumni committees. (I remember my Princeton interviewer telling me that she was invited to chair such a committee). However, I believe that teachers / school administrators are in charge of recommending a number of students. Towards the middle of last year, the school counselors asked a number of students for their resumes so that the counselors could write recommendations. At that point in time, no one seemed to know why the counselors wanted the information; however, when the 15 or so Junior Book Awards were handed out at the end of the year, we all found out. I am also guessing that these awards are not selected solely by the school because the number of books and the actual colleges providing the awards change every year.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the explanation. The custom must be still working its way in from the coasts.</p>

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<p>Book awards are sponsored by local alumni, but the high schools select the winners. The colleges specify certain criteria (top 5%, active in community service, good in English, whatever), and then the schools pick the winners. I’m the local coordinator for the book awards for my alma mater (Williams) - each year I speak to either the administrators or guidance counselors at the schools, provide the criteria specified by Williams, and when the winners are picked by the high schools I let Williamstown know who they are. I have no input on who the winners are. At my sons’ high school, a committee of teachers meets each spring and selects the winners of the multiple book awards given out each year.</p>