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I need help, not mental kind, moral kind!
jjmitchell60
Member Posts: 3,887
I am on a certain wildlife organization local chapter founding committee. I got wrangled into judging the entries into our yearly $500 scholarship for High School seniors that submit an essay and paperwork. Well I got them tonight and all 3 of the kids I know through either 4-H shooting sports, little league baseball, or little league/high school football! All 3 have been on teams with my kids but are a year older. I will call these kids Kid A, Kid B, and Kid C. Here is some details on each:
Kid A is a good kid. His parents are upper middle class and he is into hunting, fishing, and sports as well as farm related activities. He has had a hard time in school with his studies but useing tutors and learning help centers, he has brought his grades up to a good GPA. He wants to go to trade school. Really can not say anything bad about him or his parents, good people. His essay had some mispelled words, typed and really not that convincing. His family can afford trade school for him without any trouble. He did state what his goals are in life. I can say a lot of good about him and his whole family.
Kid B is from the "rich" class here and his parents have had most everything gave to them on a silver platter as has he. He plays sports, hunts, fishs, and does farm related activities. His grades are all A's but he is also a star on one of the schools sports team! He has received a free ride to college due to this as did his older brother. His parents can afford his schooling if he had not goten a free ride anyway but he is a decent kid. Cannot blame him for the
"sins" of his parents who have money and flaunt it under the noses of those that do not! His parents are disliked by many including me and are into local politics! Still the kid is a good kid! His essay was typed, looks professional, and no errors but he did not mention his goals in life at all!
Kid C is from a poor family who hunts to eat, fishs, farms, and the kid restores antique farm machinery. He has struggled with his grades but they are within the guidelines as to GPA to qualify for the scholarship. His family can never afford trade school for him so he will have to work hard to attend but I do know he will do it because he is a kid that sets his mind to something and does it. His essay was hand written, one spelling error, and he did explain his goals in life. Of the 3 his goals are set at what he knows he is best at. I know his family and they are really good people.
Here is my moral problem, if I take into account grades, GPA, and letters from other people into account, Kid B scores higher. If I take into account need wise, Kid C is the best choice. Kid A falls in the middle! Kid A could use the money but if he did not receive it, I do not believe it would hinder him in going to trade school. My gut feeling tells me that Kid C needs the $500 scholarship more. Kid B already has a free ride to college and his letters of support are from people that one could say did it for political reasons. Kid A and C have letters from teachers and members of the community that have no political agendas.
OK, now I have told you what I need help with. Basic question is, who is more deserving of this $500 scholarship? Who ever wins goes on to compete for a $5000 dollar state scholarship and if they were to win that, then on to a national $10,000 scholarship competition. I am asking the GB community to help me because I know we come from all different backgrounds on here. If you do choose to offer advice, please tell me your reasoning because a young man's education is on the line here. What really bothers me is no girls entered for the scholarship! Thanks for any input. I and another gentleman have to make the final decision in 3 weeks!
"we are but men... no more, no less..."
Kid A is a good kid. His parents are upper middle class and he is into hunting, fishing, and sports as well as farm related activities. He has had a hard time in school with his studies but useing tutors and learning help centers, he has brought his grades up to a good GPA. He wants to go to trade school. Really can not say anything bad about him or his parents, good people. His essay had some mispelled words, typed and really not that convincing. His family can afford trade school for him without any trouble. He did state what his goals are in life. I can say a lot of good about him and his whole family.
Kid B is from the "rich" class here and his parents have had most everything gave to them on a silver platter as has he. He plays sports, hunts, fishs, and does farm related activities. His grades are all A's but he is also a star on one of the schools sports team! He has received a free ride to college due to this as did his older brother. His parents can afford his schooling if he had not goten a free ride anyway but he is a decent kid. Cannot blame him for the
"sins" of his parents who have money and flaunt it under the noses of those that do not! His parents are disliked by many including me and are into local politics! Still the kid is a good kid! His essay was typed, looks professional, and no errors but he did not mention his goals in life at all!
Kid C is from a poor family who hunts to eat, fishs, farms, and the kid restores antique farm machinery. He has struggled with his grades but they are within the guidelines as to GPA to qualify for the scholarship. His family can never afford trade school for him so he will have to work hard to attend but I do know he will do it because he is a kid that sets his mind to something and does it. His essay was hand written, one spelling error, and he did explain his goals in life. Of the 3 his goals are set at what he knows he is best at. I know his family and they are really good people.
Here is my moral problem, if I take into account grades, GPA, and letters from other people into account, Kid B scores higher. If I take into account need wise, Kid C is the best choice. Kid A falls in the middle! Kid A could use the money but if he did not receive it, I do not believe it would hinder him in going to trade school. My gut feeling tells me that Kid C needs the $500 scholarship more. Kid B already has a free ride to college and his letters of support are from people that one could say did it for political reasons. Kid A and C have letters from teachers and members of the community that have no political agendas.
OK, now I have told you what I need help with. Basic question is, who is more deserving of this $500 scholarship? Who ever wins goes on to compete for a $5000 dollar state scholarship and if they were to win that, then on to a national $10,000 scholarship competition. I am asking the GB community to help me because I know we come from all different backgrounds on here. If you do choose to offer advice, please tell me your reasoning because a young man's education is on the line here. What really bothers me is no girls entered for the scholarship! Thanks for any input. I and another gentleman have to make the final decision in 3 weeks!
"we are but men... no more, no less..."
Comments
"Right is Right, even is everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it"
Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
If the underprivligded kids are of the caliber you say they are, they will do OK in life without you making exceptions for them.
Also, society making exceptions for the so-called needy, is one of the things that perpetuates the needy class.
My humble 2.5-cents worth,
Rafter-S
We're men. Its our God given right to watch sports and smut" - Al Bundy
Maybe you should look at it this way. A scholarship is not only on what they have done but what they can or can not do without it.
My son had a FULL ride on acedemics. It was merits that led him there, but what he did with it -- finished in 3 years instead of 4 freeing up the scholarship money that 4th year so someone else could have it.
I judged a science fair years ago and gave the Air Force Award to a kid that studied how magentic fields affected ants ability to navigate -- simple project, aluminium pie plate, cube of sugar, various ants and a magnet that he place under the plate to see if the ants would be affected. I could tell the kid was what most people would classify as a loser or a misfit and sure would never succeed in sports. All the other judge's just walked by. I stopped to listen and was intrigued that this kid came up with the idea on his own and followed through. I got a letter from his teacher about 3 months later explaining to me that when the kid got back home the school recoginized his award, the paper ran a little blurb, his classmates were all congratulating him. She told me that award did more for his self esteem than anything every had for the poor kid. She also told me he began to apply himself to his class work. Who knows where the kid is now.
So maybe, just maybe, one of those three could use a boost which would be worth more than the $500 scholarship.
The gene pool needs chlorine.
That's what I would do, and why I'd do it.
81st FA BN WWII...Thanks Dad
U!S!A! ALL THE WAY!!
quote:kid a
His essay had some mispelled words, typed and really not that convincing. His family can afford trade school for him without any trouble.
quote:kid b
His essay was typed, looks professional, and no errors but he did not mention his goals in life at all!
quote:kid c
. His essay was hand written, one spelling error, and he did explain his goals in life. Of the 3 his goals are set at what he knows he is best at.
The above sentences have just explained why kid c should be awarded it...After all, scholarships are based on merit and need usually....In your own words, kid c wrote the better essay and is also in need of the funds...He also sounds like he has matured a bit more than the other two knows what he wants for himself in the future...and is willing to work to get it...
Lil' Stinker's Opinion
Are you charged to judge essays or "give" help to the needy?
Rafter-S
Jim
own merit. I would go with kid C
Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not,
and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is.
God Bless America and...
NEVER Forget WACO
NEVER, EVER Forget 911
I got wrangled into judging the entries into our yearly $500 scholarship for High School seniors that submit an essay and paperwork....
...I and another gentleman have to make the final decision in 3 weeks!
You're not real clear on what the criteria is for winning the scholarship; if you're judging, there should be guidelines on what you are supposed to consider.
If you are supposed to consider the other things you know personally about the students then you can use that information; if you are not supposed to consider those other things you list here and you just can't ignore them, then you should excuse yourself from the judging and let the other man and someone else make the decision.
Your conclusion that, "a young man's education is on the line here" may be "oversimplifying things." You don't know what the future is nor what your actions might cause. Consider: If you "feel sorry" for Kid C and award to him, he might then go to school, and with the extra money not have to work some night; that night he goes to a party and has a few beers then makes a bad decision to drive home and ends up killing a girl who was studying biology and would have discovered a cure for cancer if she had lived!
There are an infinite number of other possibilities--either "good" or "bad"--which could result from who gets the scholarship. There is no way to predict any of them; it is impossible to say that your decision will be the determining factor in whether or not something "good" happens (ie. a young man gets an education).
Just judge using the information you're supposed to use and then let the chips fall where they will.
I am probably coming across as heartless and uncaring. That's not the case. I've seen this before where "special circumstances" were taken into consideration by those who weren't charged to do it. And it dug a hole for both the digger and the digee. Like the saying, "no good deed goes unpunished."
Unless you get special judging instructions from the higher ups, you would be best served to judge the essays on merit alone.
My humble 2.5-cents worth,
Rafter-S
Rafter-S
Kid A - typed essay, multiple errors, stated goals
Kid B - typed essay, no errors, no goals
Kid C - handwritten essay, one error, well thought out goals
I will make 2 assumptions here. 1 that typing is not required and 2 goals were to be part of the essay.
Kid A errors show a bit of laziness in not checking his work.
Kid B lack of goals would show incompleteness of thought
Kid C one error should have been corrected, good thought
On those merits alone, social status not withstanding, Kid C would win. If essay was to be typed, Kid C is out, such equipment is available to anyone. If goals were not part of the essay, Kid B should win, due to quality appearance of paper.
That is how I see this and I hope I helped. Also, thanks for caring enough about this one small duty to put thought into it and/or ask for help to make the right decision.
KC
psalms 16
To late now but I feel the proper way to do this judging would be to have a second party blank out the names & judge each on the essay's merits alone, unless it was your duty to judge the kids.
[^][^]barto
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.-JFK
No moral question, either they did the work or they didnt.
Those people who see nothing but grey areas, no black and white, are lost in the fog.
quote:Kid A - typed essay, multiple errors, stated goals
Kid B - typed essay, no errors, no goals
Kid C - handwritten essay, one error, well thought out goals
I will make 2 assumptions here. 1 that typing is not required and 2 goals were to be part of the essay.
Kid A errors show a bit of laziness in not checking his work.
Kid B lack of goals would show incompleteness of thought
Kid C one error should have been corrected, good thought
On those merits alone, social status not withstanding, Kid C would win
Following this track I'd have to go with C as well.
"the difference between the almost right word and the right word is like the difference between a lightning bug and a lightning bolt" - Mark Twain.
I'd pick kid C. I expect my answer might be different if I didn't know all the kids backgrounds and pasts. Here's what I'd do...vote for kid C, get him into the finals, then help him on that project to win the larger scholarship. That way you feel good about helping him. Plus he gets what he deserves.
Good luck with this, hard place to be....
"A pocket knife, a clean hankey, and a pistol... things I can use." - Ted Nugent
Be careful to not let rationalization overcloud your judgment. Too often we rationalize decisions to satisfy our desires so as not have to deal with harsh reality.
Rafter-S
"What is truth? No wonder jesting Pilate turned away. The truth, it has a thousand faces -- show only one of them, and the whole truth flies away! But how to show the whole? That is the question."
--Thomas Wolfe, "You Can't Go Home Again" (1934)
Your problem is that you know these kids and their families. As others have noted, the award could go to any of them based on any number of extraneous factors which you may or may not know, but you are not God and you can't use those other factors. If you can, blot those factors out of your mind, look at the papers in isolation and award the scholarship based solely on what is in front of you. It is the fairest thing to do.
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it that the former does not submit to hereditary predjudices, but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence." - Albert E.
On my tombstone:"Keep you eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel..."the Lizard King
Looks like others were kind enough to respond to your post. Will you be kind enough to get back with us and tell who you pick and why?
www.awbansunset.com
Regardless of his qualifications I feel that Kid B should be ruled out from the start. Besides his family wealth, he has a full ride to college. I am surprised that the rules of the scholarship do not disqualify him in the first place. His winning in my opinion would undermine the purpose of the scholarship.
As far as Kids A & C go, you'll have to weigh their qualifications AND their financial need. If Kid C's qualifications are equal to or better than Kid A, then Kid C is surely the choice. However, if Kid A's qualifications are far higher than Kid C's you'll have to consider that too. I wouldn't hold it against Kid C that his essay is not typed, as long as it is neatly written.
Good luck with your decision.
"we are but men... no more, no less..."
Mad Dog
However, if that is not an option, do not consider the background of the students (especially if the judging guidelines do not say anything about considering background information) -- otherwise, your decision has much of the flavor of those based on affirmative action.
Jacqueline
www.gratuitouslylongdomainname.net
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants and the creed of slaves." -- William Pitt (1783)