The opportunity to become a valedictorian is no longer an option after the 2020-2021 school year at HHS.
A valedictorian is where a student or multiple students have the highest academic achievements of the class. These students get to give a speech at their graduation ceremony to all the other students and guests.
The previous year, there were six valedictorians. These six students were the last valedictorians before the rules to become a valedictorian in HHS changed. Beginning with the class of 2019, the class standing system used will be Summa Cum Laude where students have to have a GPA of 4.0 and above, Magna Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.75-3.99, and Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.50-3.74.
In the student handbook it says, “Beginning with the Class of 2022, because class rank will no longer be calculated, students will no longer be identified for valedictorian status. Until that time, full time students who take 75% of the available honors courses offered at HHS and have the highest rank may be considered as valedictorian of their graduating class. Students must carry the equivalent of at least 25 credits per semester to qualify.”
According to 2022 Nebraska Higher Education Progress Report. https://ccpe.nebraska.gov/sites/ccpe.nebraska.gov/files/PR_Presentation.pdf and CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/high-school-gpa-rising-but-sat-scores-down-study/, forty-seven percent of high school students go above and beyond in school to achieve above average grades so they can get into their dream college. Colleges usually look for SAT/ACT scores, GPA, class rank, and extracurricular activities to decide if they want the students in their college or not. Thousands of students try and excel in their classes for the idea to achieve the valedictorian spot once their graduation day comes. Twenty-three percent are sufficiently prepared in high school. Now it is even more difficult for HHS students.
“It was absurd. I just didn’t quite get it. I was like woah there goes something that I was hoping to have,” Senior Hunter Anderson said.
This decision affects some students, but not all. Not all high school students plan on going to college due to costs, unsure of what college to go to, scared of college being too hard for them, or just in general, these students’ future jobs don’t need college.
“It doesn’t really affect me because I’ve never had plans to become valedictorian but for others, it’s harder for them, but if they really want it, then the rules shouldn’t really matter,” Senior Jayden Coplen said.
Whilst some students are sad about this, some students are upset at the fact that the rules changed during the 2018-2019 school year after they had already had their plan ready and set in motion for them. Not only does it affect students emotionally but it also affects their future.
“It’s kind of annoying for some students just for the fact that they can come into high school as freshmen having a mindset that says this is what I want and this is what I’m going to try to do and then the rules just change,” Junior Crystal Miller said.
Seniors are not the only students who are affected by this decision. Students are starting to plan their futures for themselves, or they have already planned and decided what they want to do throughout high school and also what they want to try to do when graduation day arrives.
“I’m hoping these rules will change so that me or one of my peers can come out as valedictorian, and it would be great if one of the people I knew became one,” Freshman Megan Grummert said.
