College readiness or class idleness?

November 14, 2011
Filed under Activities and Clubs, Centerpiece, Featured, News, Opinion, Top headline

Staff Editorial

Muffled complaints and curious comments arose from students as fluorescent yellow folders and thick, green surveys were deposited onto their desks.  Some seniors cringed as they filled out their SAT and ACT scores and mapped out their future plans, wishing they could escape the monotony of college and test preparation.

On Oct 19, Borah instigated a new program entitled Lion Tracks, wherein students plan for their futures and prepare for college applications and standardized testing during some collaboration Wednesdays at the conclusion of fourth period.

“It’s to get people who aren’t thinking to start,” explained teacher Sheila Miller, a member of an administration leadership team that created Lion Tracks.  “Someone has to make sure that all students get the same information regarding future planning.”

Junior Jacob Hatcher sensed that teachers in charge of the program were not as enthusiastic about Lion Tracks as they should have been.

During an introductory video, Hatcher explained, “[administrators] sounded very dull – like they didn’t want to do it themselves.”  He said the speakers simply read their lines from a piece of paper with little emotion.

“You gotta sell the sizzle, not just the steak,” commented senior Dyllan Espindula, who also found the program’s introduction dull and lifeless.

For many juniors and seniors, the program seems pointless.  These students have already been presented with the same information in various classes.  Hearing the information in this more formal setting is just repetitive and aggravating.

“If you don’t know [what you are doing],” Espindula explained, “you should know who you are and get help.  I don’t need to take 20 minutes of my life on something I already know.”

Hatcher is convinced that the Lion Tracks program has little to no possibility of aiding students in their futures who have already discussed the information in other classes.  “It could, emphasis on could,” he commented, shrugging. “Maybe if it were in some stretchy form of existence and shoved out a window, it could hit a kid, or just land on the sidewalk.”  Laughing, he concluded, “Which is more likely?”

Both Hatcher and Espindula would prefer full-length classes instead of the Lion Tracks program.  “It’s Wednesday, the beginning of the week when things are beginning to flow,” said Espindula.  He would prefer things to continue flowing instead of being cut short for information that he has already received.

“I didn’t finish all of my work in other classes,” explained Hatcher.  “I could have finished brainstorming with my group.”

Espindula is convinced that the program could be extremely helpful for sophomores, but a waste of time for seniors.  “When you are done, you will have three years of work stored in that yellow folder to consider, but for seniors, we will just have 12 pieces of paper covered with scribbles.”

“It could potentially help, but it depends on how it is presented,” said Ward.  “I imagine it can get deeper.”

Miller said she believes that the program will be repetitive for juniors and seniors, but it could also be a wake up call for those without any sort of future plan.  “There are people who don’t know what they are going to do.  They can’t get a job, it’s too late for college, and it’s too late to get help.”

“Would a program like this have helped them?” she asked.

For juniors and seniors, the program is quite monotonous, as they will discuss topics on which they have already spent time.  But for sophomores or any student that has yet to get into deeper planning, Lion Tracks is the path by which they could plan things out.  “To be successful after high school, you have to have a plan,” explained Miller.

Ultimately, it comes down to whether Lion Tracks is the solution to finding this plan.