Proposed H.S. Graduation Requirement Changes

One Youth's Perspective

Education | Jocivel Adames | Tuesday January 25, 2011 3:27

Hello, my name is Jocivel Adames, and I am a youth from Young Voices.

When I first heard about this proposal it startled me, but a the same
time I felt that it did not really affect me in any way, and felt a
huge sigh of relieve, and lucky enough to have dogged a huge bullet.
But something else hit me. As soon as I heard that this will affect
the 2012 and later graduates, my brother's face, education and future
flashed before my eyes, and I said to myself that is is not completely
fair to him, and the rest of the students.

He is an 11th grader at The Met and I care about him deeply. He values his education, and by cramming his, and everybody else's, whole year studying for a two hour test, regardless of how rigorous their projects were, internships they've had, and preparation for college, excellent grades, looses its value. I strongly believe there is another way to enthuse kids to highten and improve their academics skills and scores.

I also believe the dropout rate will go up. When the principal made an announcement on this matter I overheard two juniors conversating about how if they do not pass or get any diploma they believe they will end up dropping out. I shook my head in discouragement, and it tore my heart. Why? Because I want what's best for them.

I think the ACT is good enough of testing, and show of readiness for college, and students should take aside some time prepping up for college and the ACT; not for the NECAP. I don't think we'll be seeing students fill out bubbles at their jobs and careers. If this did would've affected me, the anxious, lousy test-taker that I am, would probably drop all of my projects, internships, homework, college classes, and probably pull an all-nighter for a two hour test that will quote, unquote, "determine" if I am worthy of getting a diploma.

If they do fail the NECAP then that will show what the student needs to work on more, as opposed to feeling dissapointed they failled and helpless of not being able to retake the test for the last time. I believe that the NECAP shows an impression of students' work as meaningless. Us students are not categories, but valuable individuals valuying our education.

I love the Met. My attendance and experience there has been a
life-changing one for me. I have never met such amazing, caring,
helpful and supportive teachers ever, and I don't think I will ever
meet such outstanding teachers like the ones at The Met. I love the
Met because it gives all of us an opportunity to be ourselves, follow
our dreams and passions through internships and projects. They don't
just have one turtor, all of the teachers at the Met are turtors, as
well as mentors. Thanks to the Met I am now more outspoken, confident, and not afraid to be myself. We have what we call exhibitions, every trimester and display all of the work we have done throughout the
trimester. We show how much we have grown as individuals and students as well with our academics. We also present our future stradegies on how we can improve on the subjects we are struggling with.

We don't need tests to show if we have skills or not, because the Met helps us grow. We were all born with skills, no matter your abilities, we don't need a test to determine if we have it or not. There is no such thing as a students without skills. And if you don't believe it then reach
out to them and try to understand where they come fromn. Not with
papers with bubbles printed on them. How does the Met graduate
students? That they've shown that they have grown. Grown as a person
and students. That they are ready for college and whatever obstacles
life is going to offer them. That they've shown rigorous project, help
and benefit the community. If I were to be affected by this, all of
this would seem meaningless. And I will have to spend my entire year
anxiously prepping for a test.

With this proposal I do not see it as one student at a time, but as
all students at one time. The only thing NECAP is good for is a
stradegy of showing students' proficiency and non-proficiency, as
opposed to determining worthy of graduating.