ENCARTA:
noun
Definition: best student: a
student in a graduating class who is highest in academic ranking and is usually
required to give a valedictory address at the graduation
ceremony
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One can imagine the growing concern of students, parents,
colleges and industry/commerce for the re-defining of the designation,
"Valedictorian", by many school boards. And one can imagine the chagrin of college academic recruiters
in having to decipher the recently re-defined and dumbed-down class ranking
of the high school "Valedictorian".
Leaning toward the interest of political correctness, this highly
revered Valedictorian ("highest in academic ranking"), of a graduating
senior is now to be shared with all seniors having a GPA of
4.0, each to be designated an Honor Graduate, but
supposedly, and just as ridiculous and even fraudulent, this
shared honor degrades the status of the one and only student meeting
the requirements as defined and recognized by colleges in determining
scholarship potential and attempts to elevate "also-ran" students of
lesser academic ranking to a fraudulent "highest in academic
ranking".
Will future valedictorians begin sharing their hard earned honor with
students with perfect attendance?
And reaping what we sow, will some of these also-ran Honor
Graduates (or Perfect Attendees) end up on our school boards one
day?
Armond "Si" Simmons
Pell City, AL 35128
104 Wadsworth Lane
205 338 7378
205 863 0207