<p>I don't see any reason why it should not be in the newspaper if the student and family feel it is fine to share the news. Some people are more private and do not want to be in the news for any reason. I am of the opposite school of thought from Digmedia as I don't mind an announcement, but I would not want to be the subject of a public interest article. When anyone comes sniffing this way for that, I am adament about that. But I like to read about where the young people are going and how they are doing. Our local newspaper dedicates a section for such news every so often--kids who make National Merit status at various schools, Eagle Scout achievement, Honors at College, Academy appointments, and I always read those sections. Considering all the pages the highschools' sports get all of the time, I certainly don't think these announcements are bragging!</p>
<p>Lsandin, on one of your tangential notes, there is no excuse for a school not facilitating exposure of the students to various out of state colleges. Our school puts together a college fair, at the school. Some college reps are there but mainly it is alums, supported by their alma maters with brochures, applications, etc., who can talk to the students. Beyond that, the PTSA facilitates a bus trip to a very large college fair put on about 30 miles away and will have over 100 student signing up.</p>
<p>As far as having a sports-obsessed school, I would move Heaven and Earth so that my D would not attend any such place...I guess that's why we never lived in Texas. :/</p>
<p>Our local paper also has a section like jamimom described once or twice a week. Most of the items they publish were submitted by the high school or colleges where they students earning the honor attend. It is a shame your paper doesn't have a similar section - I totally agree that academic achievements should be highlighted in addition to or more than athletics.</p>
<p>jmmom: we are thinking about the possibility of moving into another district after D starts college. Unfortunately, options are limited. Husband and I are pretty much both 25 miles from work *(in two different directions!) so we aren't really sure exactly where we would relocate to (with a better district) although we do have one idea that is possible. With respect to private schools - the nearest is about 16 miles and no transportation is provided. We both work and would be unable to get her there. In addition, the expense might be a bit more than we can afford (keeping everything the same). However, we are keeping minds open with regard to moving. I would however like to see a change in ours and nearby districts..before these parents drive these kids crazy! I might just call our local paper and suggest a section for awarding/recognizing kids for academic achievements. It can't hurt.</p>
<p>What is barrel racing?</p>
<p>Interesting tangents to this thread! I enjoy reading about academic achievements in our local weekly, which are submitted by parents on such a regular basis that there's at least a half page about kids on their uni's dean's list, college-awarded scholarships (which I also think are worthy of note), etc. Still, I haven't sent anything in myself, and I'm not sure why - somehow it does feel like bragging, though I don't mind other folks doing it.</p>
<p>Our hs submits info about NM commended students and semi/finalists, the Science Olympiad team, accomplishments in art/music, etc. Last week a local parochial school had a picture in of 4 kids who've been accepted at Ivy schools, which I found a bit bizarre - is that really something for a hs to brag about? What about kids who've been accepted at other excellent schools? But at least the press coverage reflects the community's high regard for academics.</p>
<p>Not that we aren't also sports-obsessed - there's certainly more coverage of athletics. It's usually limited to the sports page, though, which I can ignore whan I want to (and I usually do).</p>
<p>Interesting to read about how many districts send grads almost exclusively to local schools. In our extended family my kids are considered odd for looking at/choosing schools far from home, and some relatives feel sorry for me because my kids don't want to stay close by. However, it's quite common for our school's grads to attend out of state schools. Some combination of local economic/cultural/familial expectations must be at work in establishing where students are willing to look. A really good college fair could certainly help raise some sights.</p>
<p>I'd also like to know what barrel racing is. Sounds like an EC that would really pique the adcoms' curiosity!</p>
<p>jmmom: barrel racing is a timed event where there are three barrels set up in an arena and you race your horse around the barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. The quickest time wins.. D also does pole bending which is a timed event where you weave up and down a row of 6 poles in an arena and the best time wins. You see both of these events in rodeos (along with goat tying which is another thing D wants to try but being that we live in a residential housing plan and board her horse at a boarding facility there are no goats to practice with!). Very fun to watch.. also very scary when your 12 year old is a serious risk taker riding on an 8 year old crazy horse!</p>
<p>frazzled1: All of my neighbors and friends look at me like I am crazy when I tell them D has applied only to out of state schools. In fact, this is kind of strange. Talked to her GC just yesterday. He called to see if D would consider two local colleges who have called him looking for students with stats like D's. He said that it didn't matter that app. deadlines had passed, she would be offered full rides to both based on her STAT's and EC's alone. I told him she just wasn't interested in staying local and wanted to try out another area and she selected her schools based on a lot of factors (including, but certainly not only location) and that she really wouldn't change her mind. Do you know when D came home from school she told me the GC had called her in to the guidance office to ask about her willingness to consider these two local schools!? She, of course, said she really wasn't interested. Very odd. You would think he would want a kid or two to go to other places for his "record".. so to speak. I told D that maybe schools were offering ski vacations to the GC's if they get kids to apply there, LOL (see other thread about colleges offering incentives to apply)...</p>
<p>I like momsdream suggestion of directing your energy to contacting the local paper and seeing if they would incorporate such a feature.</p>
<p>I guess we're lucky here in that our communities emphasize academics as well as athletics (and our HS has won more state championships in sports than any other). Our school has a top 25 academic list (out of classes that average 900 students) for every class (fr., soph, etc.) and those individual's names are posted year round on the cafeteria wall. Senior scholarships are recognized at a scholarship night as well as printed in the graduation program. Middle school honor rolls are printed in the local paper as well as community service type recognition and special awards e.g. eagle scout, spelling bee winner, etc. Local paper also prints dean's list notifications from colleges. As well as the usual athletic triumphs. We cover all the bases and I guess I take that stuff for granted as I see how many of you don't have that exposure.</p>
<p>Our very large public school, which is very sports oriented, also honors academic achievements in the following ways: Distinguished honor roll and honor roll in newspaper each marking period; ceremony for induction into National Honor Society (about top 10%, I would say);ceremony for induction into National French and Spanish Honor Society; Academic Recognition Dinner and Ceremony for top 5% of each grade - at this ceremony the students in lower grades are given a certificate and there is a Powerpoint presentation with a slide for each senior with their photo, accomplishments, and the college they will attend highlighted; Academic Recognition breakfast for seniors who are National Merit Semifinalist, Commended, or Achievement scholars and/or AP Scholars with a similar Powerpoint to above; and finally a Senior Awards Ceremony (separate from graduation) where many seniors are recognized for various academic and non-academic achievements. Even though our school does not really provide much guidance for college admission, after summarizing all of this, I must say they do give recognition for academic achievments.</p>
<p>MotherOfTwo: WOW! Your school sounds wonderful. I am going to make these suggestions to our school although it would seem funny having a recognition breakfast for the ONE commended student at our school, LOL! I like the idea of the Academic Recognition Dinner and Ceremony for top 5% of each grade.. very good idea. Will definitely suggest that one. We do have a small ceremony in our auditorium for National Honor Society but we don't even have a French or Spanich Honor Society. ThanKs for the ideas!</p>
<p>Islandin - LOL! "Wonderful" is not the word the parents who are keyed into academics usually use to describe our school! However, after I wrote the above post, I realized that it was not as bad as I sometimes think. I guess we tend to focus on certain things that are lacking that we know many other nearby schools provide, but take for granted the things that are offered by our school. Our school is very large (~800 in each grade) and only about half go on to four year colleges and about 1/3 to community college. Since so many are not going on to college, I tend to think of the top 5% of our school as equivalent to the top 10% in a high school where almost everyone is college-bound. The French and Spanish Honor Societies are part of some larger national groups with different names - I could find out for you if you are really interested. The students are initiated into this in the spring of senior year, so it really is just an honor - no help for college applications, but it is a nice little ceremony to reward those who have continued into the 5th year of language with good grades and they wear an extra cord at graduation and are noted in the program. We usually only have about 1-3 National Merit Semifinalists with maybe 8 commended. However, this year we have about 5 or 6 semifinalists, which is the most I have ever heard of in our school.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, many districts in Calif stopped publishing honor roll lists bcos of our new confidentiality laws......otherwise, a district would have to obtain permission to release the data</p>
<p>Isandin - hope you noticed a couple ideas from TheDad that I thought could really work in your situation: Parent Assn sponsoring a bus trip to college fair and/or having alums come to your HS. Maybe not many alums from your own HS available, but you could start small now and watch it grow as D2 comes along.</p>
<p>I don't like the ideas of NHS, award/recognition dinners/breakfasts, ceremonies, distinctions, etc...</p>
<p>I don't appreciate the idea of dividing classes and drawing lines of separation amongst peers. Students need to bond and include, not further separate. I think they should learn to be satisfied in their accomplishemets without a room full of people applauding them. </p>
<p>Just my opinion.</p>
<p>Momsdream - I believe that the school your son attends is very different from our high school in that it seems that most students and parents put emphasis on academic achievement. I agree that in that situation it might not be desirable to single out certain students for recognition. This is similar to the reason that many HIGH ACHIEVING public and private schools have eliminated class rank. However, the situation at our school is very different in that the vast majority of the student body does not strive to a very high level of academic achievement, and thus are not hurt or divided from others by not being part of these recognitions. Also, at our school, these recognitions are not publicized to the rest of the student body, just to the parents of the students involved (aside from the published Honor Roll which has a pretty low standard which is achievable by anyone who tries). The idea of these ceremonies is to recognize those who HAVE placed emphasis on academic achievement. In our school, as has been mentioned by others, ATHLETIC achievement is the greatest source of public recognition and I am glad to see academics get some too. Along these lines, when I mentioned to my daughter that, in thinking about it, our school really isn't so bad and we have things like the recognition dinner and breakfast, she replied, "But they don't announce us over the loudspeaker like they do for the athletes. And they don't have a pep rally for us that the whole school is required to attend like they did for the football team." And I said, "Would you want to be announced on the loudspeaker or have a pep rally for you?" She said, "No.....but....." It does make you think a little bit.</p>
<p>MotherOfTwo: Your D is exactly right.. on the loudspeaker in the morning kids who scored points in the basketball/volleyball/football game are announced EVERY morning. My D was the only commended scholar (no semi or finalists) and not only did they not say a word to her (let alone announce it) but when they gave her the certificate they left it in the envelope it came in (addressed to the principal) and he didn't even bother to fill in her name!! He gave it to her homeroom teacher and the homeroom teacher said that "this came for you". She said it was like a slap in the face. No congratulations, nothing. It sits in the envelope in her room with no name on it still!! momsdream: I understand a lot of you feel that accomplishments should be made/worked for for yourself and no one else.. unfortunately when kids are young and "finding their way" they observe the working of things/events around them. They see the 'rewards' and recognition that athletes recieve and even though parents like yourself make it clear academics come first..they go for the "gold". Popularity and peer recognition. That is what a 12 year old yearns for. At least that is what the 12 year olds around here yearn for! Fortunately my oldest D didn't care. She was much more mature and independent then most. Now, my other D is another story. And when I talk with her friends all they talk about is how "cool" Joe Fishe is because he made the all-state soccer team.. Never hear them talking about how cool Sue Fishe is for getting in to Harvard.
jmmom - already have TheDads ideas on my list for the next meeting. I am taking all of these great suggestions in and am really glad to hear that our school doesn't appear to be the norm.</p>
<p>Isandin - let us know how you fare with your attempts. I'm nauseated by the points/goals scored announcements at your D's school. Not totally sure why it so offends me, but it sure does.</p>
<p>And I'm ready to form a posse to go after that principal of yours re his handling of "the envelope." Wringing his neck comes to mind. Anyone care to join me?</p>
<p>Don't they announce points and goals at every school? I am not being facetious here - I assumed this was done everywhere, and I must say that I am not really offended by it. I just like to see recognition of academics, too. </p>
<p>Like jmmom, I am horrified by the insulting way the principal handled your daughter's achievement. To me, it indicates that the principal is totally ignorant of the National Merit program's significance, not a desirable trait for someone who is heading up a high school! And the homeroom teacher falls into the same category (assuming that he/she knew what was in the envelope.)</p>
<p>lsalndmom - I would like to send you a private message or email with some more details on this subject, but you have not enabled either of these options. Would it be possible for you to enable one of these?</p>