Update on girl that wasn't awarded Valedictorian title....

[kaorder1999]

Top Grapevine High student wins scholarship that trumps valedictorian's award

09:18 AM CDT on Friday, June 6, 2008
By DANIEL MONTEVERDE / The Dallas Morning News
dmonteverde@dallasnews.com

Anjali Datta may not be the valedictorian of Grapevine High School, but she'll head to the University of Texas with a scholarship that trumps the financial bump the official title would have awarded her.

The University of Texas notified the 16-year-old girl Wednesday that she was one of six students awarded a Dedman Distinguished Scholarship, which awards $13,000 per academic year for four years and includes supplemental funding for study abroad programs.

Anjali expected to be valedictorian after she earned an unprecedented 5.898 GPA, while finishing high school in only three years. Grapevine-Colleyville school district officials decided Anjali would not be valedictorian because of a district rule requiring the valedictorian to attend high school for four years.

As valedictorian, Anjali would have been awarded a one-year college scholarship from the state. She will be honored at her graduation Saturday for her perfect ACT score and graduate with the title "Valedictorian – Three-Year," but the state scholarship and official title will be awarded to Tyler Scott Franklin, who posted a 5.64 GPA.

"She was hoping she would get this," her father, Deepak Datta, said of the Dedman scholarship. "She was fairly competitive on this front."

In addition to UT, Southern Methodist University, Rice University and the University of Texas at Dallas offered Anjali full or near-full scholarship packages. The Texas Education Agency has also awarded her a $3,000 scholarship, Mr. Datta said.

While Anjali said she's honored to receive the scholarship money, she is most proud of the fact that the university singled her out as a scholar.

"This is something that I was really hoping for," Anjali said. "Apart from the money from the scholarship, there's also the honor of being one of the top students at UT."

Anjali will head to Austin in the fall and work toward a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering and liberal arts. She expects her coursework to take her five years this time.

When she arrives on campus, she won't be the only Dallas-area student with a Dedman scholarship. Christopher M. Burge from Jesuit College Preparatory School was also awarded the scholarship, the university said in a news release.

The Dedman Scholarship is based on class rank, SAT scores, extracurricular activities, community service and an interview with the candidates. Anjali and the five additional students who received the scholarship were selected from an initial pool of 15 students who applied to the Plan II Liberal Arts Honors Program in March.

[waterboy]

Good! That's better for her. Give her a FULL scholarship for a job well done. Way to step up to the plate UT! And all the others who made offers! With that high an IQ she's destined for big things, no doubt.:2thumbsup

[piratebg]

Well thats was good. I'd rather have the scholarship anyways. :)

[crzyjournalist03]

I personally got a little annoyed by this story, because it seems like one of these happens every year. Granted, they may not be to the extent of her story, but there's at least one news story every spring about a student who's upset because they're not going to be valedictorian.

I would have been valedictorian at my high school, but transfer requirements prevented me from getting weighted grades on my advanced placement classes, meaning that I was losing 10 points on the 100 point grading scale for about six or seven classes that I transferred in to Forney when I moved there my junior year. As a result, I ended up 10th in my class, and I never felt robbed. I knew the rules when I moved into the district, and I was just happy to be at a school that I enjoyed. If she were that concerned with being valedictorian, maybe she and her parents should have thought a little longer before having her graduate at a different time than she was supposed to. One extra year in high school isn't going to kill anybody; I'm sure she could have taken mostly college courses as dual credit if she wanted.

[SWMustang]

Dang - I was hoping for an update stating she got knocked up. :(

[Emerson1]

She probably had all of those offers before. It's like a football team having 2 star running backs, the backup isn't going to not receive offers because he had the title of backup.

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
I personally got a little annoyed by this story, because it seems like one of these happens every year. Granted, they may not be to the extent of her story, but there's at least one news story every spring about a student who's upset because they're not going to be valedictorian.

I would have been valedictorian at my high school, but transfer requirements prevented me from getting weighted grades on my advanced placement classes, meaning that I was losing 10 points on the 100 point grading scale for about six or seven classes that I transferred in to Forney when I moved there my junior year. As a result, I ended up 10th in my class, and I never felt robbed. I knew the rules when I moved into the district, and I was just happy to be at a school that I enjoyed. If she were that concerned with being valedictorian, maybe she and her parents should have thought a little longer before having her graduate at a different time than she was supposed to. One extra year in high school isn't going to kill anybody; I'm sure she could have taken mostly college courses as dual credit if she wanted.

Her parents and her were told by a counselor she was going to be ok and was within the rules..So cant really say they "knew" the rules

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
Her parents and her were told by a counselor she was going to be ok and was within the rules..So cant really say they "knew" the rules

my counselor handed me a sheet that clearly defined the rules for valedictorian.

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
my counselor handed me a sheet that clearly defined the rules for valedictorian.

and? All that means is you knew..great...Her counselor was wrong and told them she was still on pace to be #1

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
my counselor handed me a sheet that clearly defined the rules for valedictorian.

Below is the original DMN story. The question involved was whether four years meant calendar years or years of credit. The young lady obtained four years of credit in three years, all in the same school. She did ask her counselor about the four year rule and was assured she qualified because all the credits were in her school. Her mistake was in taking her counselor at face value. If anything she was naive. Gosh, a naive 16 year old. Imagine.

Yes, she was aware of the four year rule, but felt it was subject to interpretation and according to the counselor she would be within the rule. Unfortunatley, the school administration did not interpret the rule the same way the counselor did.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/052908dnmetvaledictorian.3b254412.html

[crzyjournalist03]

so if it was really that important to her, why didn't she take the school's ruling on the matter and stay in school for the extra year so that she'd be valedictorian?

She had a choice...maybe not one that seems like it was a great option, but ultimately, she made the decision to graduate early, and naive or not, knew that there was at least some sort of risk involved. She's making it out as though she's a victim...I saw a television interview where it seemed like she wanted to cry.

Sure, she had enough credits to graduate from high school, but many students do after their junior year...most students in high school exceed the requirements by six or so credits...enough for an extra year.

What about the other angle? What if they name her valedictorian and someone who spent four years in the school loses out because she decides to graduate early? How can we assume that her GPA wouldn't go down given another full year of what should be more difficult classes?

I do feel sorry for the girl to some extent, but I also think she needs to get over it. Colleges clearly didn't care that she doesn't have the official title of valedictorian, and her career path won't either if she studies and does well in college, as it seems she would. Ultimately, it's a title technicality that she's griping over, and nothing more.

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
so if it was really that important to her, why didn't she take the school's ruling on the matter and stay in school for the extra year so that she'd be valedictorian?

She had a choice...maybe not one that seems like it was a great option, but ultimately, she made the decision to graduate early, and naive or not, knew that there was at least some sort of risk involved. She's making it out as though she's a victim...I saw a television interview where it seemed like she wanted to cry.

Sure, she had enough credits to graduate from high school, but many students do after their junior year...most students in high school exceed the requirements by six or so credits...enough for an extra year.

What about the other angle? What if they name her valedictorian and someone who spent four years in the school loses out because she decides to graduate early? How can we assume that her GPA wouldn't go down given another full year of what should be more difficult classes?

I do feel sorry for the girl to some extent, but I also think she needs to get over it. Colleges clearly didn't care that she doesn't have the official title of valedictorian, and her career path won't either if she studies and does well in college, as it seems she would. Ultimately, it's a title technicality that she's griping over, and nothing more.

I think her new scholarship will help her "get over it".

Don't be so hard on the kid, and she is a kid. She trusted a respected adult and lost. End of story. She was not valedictorian, she received a much better scholarship and someone with a lower GPA was valedictorian because they used four years to complete what she did in three. End of story.

[AP Panther Fan]

Congratulations to both, her and UT!

Glad that this scholarship will help her along nicely.

Regardless of whether or not Grapevine ISD was correct in their final decision, I think this young lady was very smart to graduate in 3 years. She is on her way to becoming an engineer or something equally successful. Not only will she now graduate from college sooner, she will reap the benefit of joining the workforce sooner. In her chosen field, that translates to a sizeable annual income.

:)

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by AP Panther Fan
Congratulations to both, her and UT!

Glad that this scholarship will help her along nicely.

Regardless of whether or not Grapevine ISD was correct in their final decision, I think this young lady was very smart to graduate in 3 years. She is on her way to becoming an engineer or something equally successful. Not only will she now graduate from college sooner, she will reap the benefit of joining the workforce sooner. In her chosen field, that translates to a sizeable annual income.

:)

And that is the thing..Seemed to me she was being punished for working to hard and finishing earlier instead of being rewarded for doing something amazing..Instead the ISD wanted to not ruffle feathers...Glad UT recognized her talents

and If was the other student, I would not want the distinction knowing someone else was better in a shorter time

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
and If was the other student, I would not want the distinction knowing someone else was better in a shorter time

ditto...

[I_DONT_CARE]

:weeping: :bigcry: :bigcry: :weeping: WHO CARES IF SHE WAS VALEDICTORIAN OR NOT?

[SWMustang]

I don't like people who purposefully try to screw up the bell curve. Just be mediocre at best and be happy with yourself.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
And that is the thing..Seemed to me she was being punished for working to hard and finishing earlier instead of being rewarded for doing something amazing..Instead the ISD wanted to not ruffle feathers...Glad UT recognized her talents

and If was the other student, I would not want the distinction knowing someone else was better in a shorter time

So if Chipper Jones goes on to finish the year with a .400 batting average, but a mid-season call-up gets hot and finish with a .405 batting average, then Chipper shouldn't want the batting title because someone else did better in a shorter amount of time despite the fact that the shorter time frame didn't qualify under the rules?

We can't assume that the girl's grades would have been the same given an extra year.

I understand what someone said about her trusting a respected adult and losing, but kids lose out on things that they wanted every day in life when they trust an adult whose advice leads them astray. I honestly just do not understand what is so special about this circumstance that led her to take the story to several news outlets. The media didn't come to her in this instance...she went to them with her story.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
What about the other angle? What if they name her valedictorian and someone who spent four years in the school loses out because she decides to graduate early? How can we assume that her GPA wouldn't go down given another full year of what should be more difficult classes?
Maybe she was out of advanced classes to take and would have had to take some regular classes that would have lowered her GPA. I ran into that problem my senior year.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
Maybe she was out of advanced classes to take and would have had to take some regular classes that would have lowered her GPA. I ran into that problem my senior year.

bingo!!!!

And how do we know that that is not precisely what happened with a handful of seniors at the top of the class?

That's been what I've been trying to say!

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
So if Chipper Jones goes on to finish the year with a .400 batting average, but a mid-season call-up gets hot and finish with a .405 batting average, then Chipper shouldn't want the batting title because someone else did better in a shorter amount of time despite the fact that the shorter time frame didn't qualify under the rules?

We can't assume that the girl's grades would have been the same given an extra year.

I understand what someone said about her trusting a respected adult and losing, but kids lose out on things that they wanted every day in life when they trust an adult whose advice leads them astray. I honestly just do not understand what is so special about this circumstance that led her to take the story to several news outlets. The media didn't come to her in this instance...she went to them with her story.

If the player hit .405 and had the required amount of ABs to qualify he wins the award..that is what happen here, she finished the REQUIRED amount of credits needed to graduate..Not her fault she was smart enough to do it in a short enough time

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
bingo!!!!

And how do we know that that is not precisely what happened with a handful of seniors at the top of the class?

That's been what I've been trying to say!


She had the highest GPA in history of the school...not like it was very close

Again MY perception..instead of being lauded for doing the rquired work in a shorter time she was being told sorry your so smart, but we have to play nice and not ruffle feathers

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
She had the highest GPA in history of the school...not like it was very close

Again MY perception..instead of being lauded for doing the rquired work in a shorter time she was being told sorry your so smart, but we have to play nice and not ruffle feathers


exactly...even more fuel to the fire that her GPA would have gone down next year...if nobody has ever been close to the GPA that she has, what does that say about the extra courses that they take over her?

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
exactly...even more fuel to the fire that her GPA would have gone down next year...if nobody has ever been close to the GPA that she has, what does that say about the extra courses that they take over her?

Why would her GPA go down if she was already complete? Not like she didn't take the required number of courses or shortchanged anything but the time.

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
exactly...even more fuel to the fire that her GPA would have gone down next year...if nobody has ever been close to the GPA that she has, what does that say about the extra courses that they take over her?

Again..If she finished the REQUIRED courses need to graduate, meaning she took the proper amount of classes and had the proper amount of credit, she should not be forced to take meaningless classes just to satisfy a rule in the ISD that was NOT even created for her situation but for people transferring in and stealing the top spot

[SWMustang]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
Again..If she finished the REQUIRED courses need to graduate, meaning she took the proper amount of classes and had the proper amount of credit, she should not be forced to take meaningless classes just to satisfy a rule in the ISD that was NOT even created for her situation but for people transferring in and stealing the top spot

maybe those meaningless classes help make you a well rounded individual. Also we're comparing apples to oranges - the bottom line is the 4 year kids DID take those courses that were not worth 10 points more. It had to hurt their GPA.

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by SWMustang
maybe those meaningless classes help make you a well rounded individual. Also we're comparing apples to oranges - the bottom line is the 4 year kids DID take those courses that were not worth 10 points more. It had to hurt their GPA.

Do we know that for sure? We ALL are speculating on what was taken by whom and what it counted for

We dont know if there was even anything else to take...She might not have been able to stay a 4th year even if she wanted to, I dont know

[ronwx5x]

Originally posted by SWMustang
maybe those meaningless classes help make you a well rounded individual. Also we're comparing apples to oranges - the bottom line is the 4 year kids DID take those courses that were not worth 10 points more. It had to hurt their GPA.

So she should be punished for taking harder courses and scoring well?

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by ronwx5x
Why would her GPA go down if she was already complete? Not like she didn't take the required number of courses or shortchanged anything but the time. Because you can't (in most schools) take ALL honors classes. At some point you have to take regular classes and that lowers your GPA.

[Chief Woodman]

Originally posted by ronwx5x
So she should be punished for taking harder courses and scoring well?

To quote Captian Ned from the old SNL (Belushi)....


"No!! I am the Captain. It is me that must be punished. Punish me!!"

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
Do we know that for sure? We ALL are speculating on what was taken by whom and what it counted for

We dont know if there was even anything else to take...She might not have been able to stay a 4th year even if she wanted to, I dont know

she could have stayed...that was made clear in the article where it says she decided to graduate after some of her teachers suggested it.

We do know that the seniors who were there for four years took more courses, and as JasperDog94 mentioned, there are a finite number of advanced classes. The school grades on a weighted system, so the seniors are definitively taking more non-weighted courses that lower their GPA by default by them losing the ten extra points. If they've all been at the same high school, they've all had the same number of class periods.

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
she could have stayed...that was made clear in the article where it says she decided to graduate after some of her teachers suggested it.

We do know that the seniors who were there for four years took more courses, and as JasperDog94 mentioned, there are a finite number of advanced classes. The school grades on a weighted system, so the seniors are definitively taking more non-weighted courses that lower their GPA by default by them losing the ten extra points. If they've all been at the same high school, they've all had the same number of class periods.

Sorry crzy but the argument she should have stayed for a useless year IMO make4s no sense...So the school is advocating, dont work your tail off, stretch it over four years or your not capable of winning an award

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
Sorry crzy but the argument she should have stayed for a useless year IMO make4s no sense...So the school is advocating, dont work your tail off, stretch it over four years or your not capable of winning an award
Did the Texas Education Agency not back up the interpretation? Obviously she knew about the 4-year rule in advance. No, it's not HER fault that the counselor gave her incorrect information. She should be extremely thankful that she didn't start high school a year later due to the 4x4 thing. I certainly do not want my soon-to-be Senior competing with soon-to-be Juniors for any class rankings, nor would I have wanted him competing with the kids who just graduated. The ISD rule was "4-years".....it was not "4-years unless you graduate in 3-years".

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by LH Panther Mom
Did the Texas Education Agency not back up the interpretation? Obviously she knew about the 4-year rule in advance. No, it's not HER fault that the counselor gave her incorrect information. She should be extremely thankful that she didn't start high school a year later due to the 4x4 thing. I certainly do not want my soon-to-be Senior competing with soon-to-be Juniors for any class rankings, nor would I have wanted him competing with the kids who just graduated. The ISD rule was "4-years".....it was not "4-years unless you graduate in 3-years". True. Lost in this discussion is the kid that WAS valedictorian. What if you were that kid and were #1 in your class but didn't get to be valedictorian because some kid that is a year younger than you decided to graduate early? It's not fair either way. The school had to make a decision and they made one. the counselor made a mistake, but the school can't change the rules every time an educator makes a mistake.

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
True. Lost in this discussion is the kid that WAS valedictorian. What if you were that kid and were #1 in your class but didn't get to be valedictorian because some kid that is a year younger than you decided to graduate early? It's not fair either way. The school had to make a decision and they made one. the counselor made a mistake, but the school can't change the rules every time an educator makes a mistake.
The Salutatorian is also lost. Imagine busting your butt for the # 2 spot to hear a few weeks before graduation "Sorry, you get jack, but thanks for playing". IMO, the school made the correct decision.

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by LH Panther Mom
The Salutatorian is also lost. Imagine busting your butt for the # 2 spot to hear a few weeks before graduation "Sorry, you get jack, but thanks for playing". IMO, the school made the correct decision. :iagree: