“Whatever you do, do not name a valedictorian,” remarks Kennedy, a quote in Margaret Talbot’s essay, “Best in Class.” This essay was published in the New Yorker Magazine in June 2005, but it can still be argued today. Talbot uses multiple quotes and sources to persuade her audience that there shouldn’t be any more valedictorians, and I agree. Valedictorians should be eliminated because it creates a division in the school, it’s unfair, and it’s too hard to pick just one student. The path to become valedictorian is too competitive. It creates a division between a pair or group of students.There can also be a lot of pressure put on the students and teachers; “the pressure that puts on valedictorians is inexcusable” (Talbot). Parents can also push their child to be a good student or be valedictorian. Not to mention, that competition has even caused hundreds of lawsuits. Students argue that they deserve to be valedictorian and sue the school because they aren’t. In the beginning of her essay, Talbot mentions a case involving two students, Kennedy and Barker, who were at competition to be valedictorian. When they were named co-valedictorians, Barker sued the school. It’s not healthy to have students compete for valedictorian. Getting rid of valedictorians will help solve all these issues. There are many unfair qualities about a valedictorian. For one thing, certain classes don’t even count or have enough credits. One student could be only taking five classes, but be really
When graduating, the valedictorian always gives a speech to the graduating class. In “White Oleander” the main character believes the valedictorian is giving the graduates false pretenses and false hope for the future. Is she being too cynical?
Through my time at St. Joe, although it has only been two years, I have learned the necessities to become a strong woman’s valued leader. By learning how to become involved in not only my schoolwork, but also an active participant in extracurricular activities has shaped the person I am today. In regards to this, National Honor Society’s pillar of character has defined for me what a true dedicated, hardworking student should be.
Out of the four characteristics of National Honor Society, I felt the most important is a character. It’s because it distinguishes how your behavior shows daily the way you carry yourself every day. Got to bat for your convictions about great and awful, be your best self, and oppose social weight to do the wrong thing for the right reason. Good characters show respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship in all their actions every day. “Reputation is the shadow. The character is the tree.” - Abraham Lincoln. The quote explains that character is something that does not change, something that stays with all you that which characterizes you. No other person can control it. Status labeled that other give you, so,
As a member of National Honors Society, I hope to contribute towards being involved and helping to improve our community both in and out of the school environment. Within school, I do my best to represent myself academically and challenge myself to new material when given the opportunity. This can be reflected by my grades and GPA, which I will continue to work on as my high school career progresses. I have always done whatever it took to keep myself in the honor roll, and have kept myself within that range ever since middle school when honor roll started to be announced. I not only represent myself academically, but I represent our school when doing activities such as sports and music. My skills are well pronounced in whatever extracurriculars
An English teacher, David McCullough Jr., delivered a 12 minute speech on June 11, 2012 titled "You Are Not Special", the speech received negative and positive feedback. The speech revolved around the teacher telling the students they were not special. That there were millions of others graduating at the same time, other Valedictorians, and other students thinking they are special. The main idea was that as a High school graduate, we believe to be different from the rest when there are million others just like us, with the same aspirations especially during that time. We are not unique from that rest, but we have the necessary tools to be of use and be acknowledged.
It is unbelievable that this year is my last year in Charlestown High School. As I look back at the past three years, there were several poignant moments when I was struggling with my classes and would have given up trying to achieve my goals. But as a diligent student, I chose to endure those moments. And that is how I become an outstanding student today. National Honor Society honors students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Being nominated to become a member of the National Honor Society is a highly prestigious honor, and I am very grateful to be a candidate.
Leadership, service, and character are integral traits that every member of the National Honor Society, as well as every upright and productive member of society, must possess. Throughout my life, I have striven to embody the aforementioned characteristics, helping me to grow as a well-rounded, high-achieving individual.
As an organization, the National Honors Society is a prestigious group in which those of significant quality concerning character and high academic standard are accepted. In this, I believe that its members are often high contributors to society and often help others to the best of their ability. Although they are not always highly outspoken, members of NHS are frequently leaders in their community, in their schools, and elsewhere. As a result of these common traits found in its members, NHS must maintain a justified strict acceptance margin. Thus, my integrity of character, natural inclination for leadership, and understanding of the importance of activity in the community are all qualities which I posses that make me a viable candidate for membership in the National Honors Society.
For the class of 2016, the valedictorian is Kiefer Chen. With a 4.0 G.P.A (unweighted) and taking a total of 12 AP classes throughout his high school, Kiefer has truly displayed the full definition of success as he will be attending the prestigious, John’s Hopkins University, in the fall. He believes college will just be another step in life.
During the speech, Valedictorian used two objects to attract audience's attention. Firstly, he used the music which his partner Nathan Turner was playing music during the speech. The idea was unique especially to get the audience's emotions. Moreover, he tried to hide some words during the speech intentionally to clarify the meaning of a specific idea. Secondly, despite Valedictorian did not use transactions, but he used a rubix cube to explain the different stages such as freshman, sophomore and senior. I think using the rubix cube plays a significant role to simplify those stages, and the audience understood the general idea. In general, I think the speaker should prepare very well in the future because there was a misunderstanding between
Pride had also entered into her character as she explained her smiling soreness, as she "had taken to smiling more often and [her] jaws hurt from the unaccustomed activity;" (835). "As a member of the winning team (the graduating class of 1940)" (835) she was moving headfirst toward the future. It was obvious that she was delighted that she had accumulated a plethora of achievements displayed with colored stars on the bulletin board. Even though Henry Reed had been awarded valedictorian, "instead of being disappointed [she] was pleased that [they] shared top honors" (836). A sense of approval flowed though her and she was genuinely and deservedly happy; "she was headed for the freedom of open fields" (835).
"I think the honor gives students and families the notion that whatever CCU does it does with excellence and the students’
Class rank is a common “award” for many high school students in America. Many students take these class ranks very seriously, and want nothing more by the end of their high school career then to be high up in their class rank. Schools use this rank to reward students in their schools. In Green, for example, we honor these Top 25 students with a reward, and a nice dinner banquet. Yet with these expectations to get into that Top 25 of your class, or trying to get the Valedictorian or Salutatorian award, comes with a tremendous amount of stress, competition between you and your peers, manipulation of your schedule, and pressure that gets thrown on you by yourself and your family.
Honors Convocation was a program that recognized students with high grade point averages and academic success. Composed of a lot of speeches, awards, and small performances, the ceremony was a way of acknowledging the hard work and dedication that students had to aim for good grades. Although the program was long-winded and at points extremely lackluster, I did enjoy the musical parts, particularly the pitchy yet effortful piece performed by the NCCU choir. While there wasn’t much that I necessarily “learned”, it was still overall a beneficial event that furthered my experiences within the campus of North Carolina Central University, since technically I’m becoming a college student myself. While I realize that Honors Convocation is supposed
As a potential member of National Honor Society, I believe that it is essential to balance scholarship, character, service, and leadership in my life. I have made it essential to try and express these values everyday both in and out of school. Personally, scholarship is the most important cornerstone of National Honor Society to me, and it is also what I spend a majority of my free time hoping to enhance.