We know some students that enjoy being rewarded for good behavior and terrific grades. Everyone should have a chance to be given a “freebie” at least one day out of each nine weeks. This is what a merit pass is. Simply said, a merit pass is a card that allows a student to leave school with a group of other “merit kids” for a day filled with fun.
Chisholm High School (Oklahoma) sophomore Jacob Cooper has experienced merit passes before.
“They [merit passes] are rewards for excellence and hard work. A school’s way of saying, ‘Good job, keep it up’,” said Cooper.
Cooper said merit passes give students another reason to try. They tell students who are trying and who are not. He also enjoys being able to skip finals for getting a merit pass.
For a field trip, students would pay half the total cost, their half and food. The school would pay the other half, which is the price of going somewhere.
“Last time it was 10 dollars not counting the cost of food. It [cost] changes every time,” said Cooper.
To notify students that they have the privileges of a merit pass, would be the same way students now figure out if they have a Renaissance card–apply and check at lunch time.
About 85-90 percent of students apply for Renaissance cards. Many students appreciate being rewarded for hard work, and Renaissance cards make that possible. However, what if there was a different option for being rewarded? Merit passes grant a student one day out of each nine weeks to go out and enjoy themselves on a field trip with other merit pass holders. Merit passes are not just for fun. They are for other incentives too, such as receiving full credit on an unfinished homework assignment.
The requirements to receive a merit pass are very simple, for most students. An A/B average will need to be maintained, less than two tardies in each nine weeks, no disciplinary measures, such as a detention or SAL, and be respectful and courteous to staff, teachers, and other students. Really, just being hard working is how a student can receive a merit pass.
Students have an interest in starting a new program for their hard work. In addition, other staff members in the school would like to have another program for academics, attendance, and attitude. “[We] wish we had an incentive program to improve attendance and the tardy problem,” said student development liaison Becky Clifton. This possible reward program is not too far from reality. Clifton thinks the school could get funding for a new program to help students achieve higher grades and better attendance.
“There are organizations and companies that want to see students succeed,” said Clifton. This hope for a new option is quite possible.
Therefore, the only way for this to be possible is if enough students ask to have a new program. Then, the students would have to have a meeting with principal Louie Jensen and show their idea to him. Letting the principal know that students have an interest in making the school better will show him that as a student body we care for each other. And we do in fact, care for one another.
Editorial written by Nicollette Barreras.
Editorial cartoon by Nicollette Barreras.
Floyd Central Visionary 