New graduation requirements make sense, help students be competitive
_ By Alichia Stevens Hawknews Writer 23 ½ credits, Preposterous right.
At least that’s what any normal Kenny Lake student who has lived in our
community for a couple years would say to an increase in their high school graduation
requirements.
I also used to think this way, but
now I’ve had a change of mind. Competing with 49 other states for a higher
education is one thing the Kenny
Lake and Chitina an community has
done. However, with our district requiring only 22 credits for graduation, it’s
hard for some of our students to qualify for the Alaskan scholarships needed to
go to an Alaskan college, which means they will have to borrow money and go in
debt.
Last year we only needed 22
credits, which is not a high enough standard for the new Alaskan scholarship
that can pay for most of your college tuition. This new requirement requires a
lot more work than some kids are used to, but to be eligible for this
scholarship, a student has to do better than pass their classes with C’s and D’s.
A student has to show academic rigor
to increase their chances of earning this scholarship. To qualify, the student
must pass four years of math, science, social studies, and English, or three
years of math, three years of science, four years of English, four years of
social studies, and two years of a foreign language. Increasing the
credit requirement to 23 ½ for Kenny Lake and Chitina students is something
that should be instituted.
The new credit requirement might
look like a high standard for students to meet in four years since they only
have a total of 24 classes during this time. It might be kind of hard to do; I’m telling
from experience.
Also the two classes that are being
offered as time to get your work done are being neglected or just not being
used to get things done. Don’t get me wrong, but if you took a look at an ordinary
study hall period, some of the kids spend most of their time goofing off, not
using their time wisely, or just sitting there. So in a sense, why should a
school give the time for students to work if it isn’t being used for that?
I’ve always had a problem with
getting my work done and study hall does help me, but when I look around at all
the other students, I can spot the ones who goof off. Yes, I know in rural Alaska
it’s hard to get to school and it’s hard to keep up with the work when you live
miles away. When the kids who do have time at home to do their work, and someone
to help them with homework, decide to spend their time slacking, you know they
don’t try.
Then there
are the students in the schools who earn their right to graduate that can’t get
the Alaskan scholarship because they don’t have the required credits. Is this
fair to these particular students?