I would like to provide a different perspective on the change that Warsaw Community High School has made in the way that it honors academic achievement in the senior class than the one Daniel Riordan took in his recent article.
Instead of honoring only two seniors for their high academic achievement relative to the rest of their class, WCHS is now honoring all qualifying seniors for their near-equally high academic achievement relative to the more objective grading standards of the school.
With the change, more students can be encouraged to work to receive very special recognition for their high academic achievements because there is not a very limited number of students who can receive that recognition. Administrators and teachers at the school can encourage more individual students in their efforts with the promise of this recognition as a reward. Each year's class can challenge themselves and be challenged to have more students recognized in their year than the year before. The community can even keep a better eye on how things are going at WCHS by watching for that picture in the paper each May and counting noses to make sure the number of honored students is heading in the right direction.
I think this change is a way to recognize and encourage more academic achievement. And given the number of banners and trophies of all sorts one observes around WCHS, I'm sure the competitive spirit and ability to keep score will also continue alive and well.
