No more Honor Cords, Stoles etc at future FCPS Graduations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The cords are absolutely a money grab. The achivements do mean something but students shouldn't be enouraged to need physical bling to celebrate or validate their achivements.

It is for Instagram and Tiktok.

[Anonymous]

My son just graduated from FCPS and despite FCPS stating that only approved cords could be worn there were many kids wearing all sorts of other awards and cultural stoles. It was actually nice to see kids proud of their accomplishments and culture and didn't affect any other graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good. The cords are expensive and mean nothing.

Why does it mean nothing to get good grades in multiple AP classes, get over a 4.0 GPA, complete service hours, be in National Honor Society, etc.?

I haven't been to a FCPS graduation, but do they actually announce all these things or print them in the program? Is there a program? If not, they are at least a visible way to acknowledge hard work and success.
I think it's crazy to do away with all of that.

We already don't have valedictorians or class rank, which is a real problem on college applications.

So you just want to be able to show off that you have a smart kid who joined a lot of clubs? Shouldn't the knowledge that your child achieved all of this be enough?

You're way off. My kid is a sophomore and not on track for any of the cords I mentioned, himself. He is a varsity athlete, but I doubt they get cords. I still think that academic acheivement should be celebrated, and what better place than at graduation?
Now, as I said in my PP, if they are being acknowledge in some other way (announced at graduation or in the graduation program or at a separate awards dinner) then that is great and I love not participating in buying expensive cords. But if this is a backhanded way to NOT honor academic acheivement - like not having class rank or valedictorians, then I think it's the wrong decision.

Our school has a “class day” before graduation where lots of kids with special achievements are recognized. And I’d be surprised if graduation programs don’t continue to recognize kids in NHS, AP Scholars, IB diploma-track kids, etc.

This mostly sounds like discouraging a lot of expensive, extraneous, and sometimes controversial bling at graduation so, if it’s true, kudos to Reid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good. The cords are expensive and mean nothing.

Why does it mean nothing to get good grades in multiple AP classes, get over a 4.0 GPA, complete service hours, be in National Honor Society, etc.?

I haven't been to a FCPS graduation, but do they actually announce all these things or print them in the program? Is there a program? If not, they are at least a visible way to acknowledge hard work and success.
I think it's crazy to do away with all of that.

We already don't have valedictorians or class rank, which is a real problem on college applications.

So you just want to be able to show off that you have a smart kid who joined a lot of clubs? Shouldn't the knowledge that your child achieved all of this be enough?

You're way off. My kid is a sophomore and not on track for any of the cords I mentioned, himself. He is a varsity athlete, but I doubt they get cords. I still think that academic acheivement should be celebrated, and what better place than at graduation?
Now, as I said in my PP, if they are being acknowledge in some other way (announced at graduation or in the graduation program or at a separate awards dinner) then that is great and I love not participating in buying expensive cords. But if this is a backhanded way to NOT honor academic acheivement - like not having class rank or valedictorians, then I think it's the wrong decision.

Our school has a “class day” before graduation where lots of kids with special achievements are recognized. And I’d be surprised if graduation programs don’t continue to recognize kids in NHS, AP Scholars, IB diploma-track kids, etc.

This mostly sounds like discouraging a lot of expensive, extraneous, and sometimes controversial bling at graduation so, if it’s true, kudos to Reid.

Then you all are convincing me. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good. The cords are expensive and mean nothing.

Why does it mean nothing to get good grades in multiple AP classes, get over a 4.0 GPA, complete service hours, be in National Honor Society, etc.?

I haven't been to a FCPS graduation, but do they actually announce all these things or print them in the program? Is there a program? If not, they are at least a visible way to acknowledge hard work and success.
I think it's crazy to do away with all of that.

We already don't have valedictorians or class rank, which is a real problem on college applications.

+1,000 this is totally ridiculous!

[Anonymous]

This pisses me off. My son has been working his butt off for the 40 hours for the service cord. And how he can’t wear it??? Wtf.

[Anonymous]

Love to hear some facts and less rumors from a random child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This pisses me off. My son has been working his butt off for the 40 hours for the service cord. And how he can’t wear it??? Wtf.

I think the real WTF should be that your child is ONLY volunteering so he can get the service cord and not because volunteering is both good for him as an individual and for his community. WTF, indeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This pisses me off. My son has been working his butt off for the 40 hours for the service cord. And how he can’t wear it??? Wtf.

I think the real WTF should be that your child is ONLY volunteering so he can get the service cord and not because volunteering is both good for him as an individual and for his community. WTF, indeed.

Oh shut up. All the kids do all this stuff for college and you know it.

[Anonymous]

I think the bogus cords dilute the importance of the academic ones- like IB diploma stoles or NHS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This pisses me off. My son has been working his butt off for the 40 hours for the service cord. And how he can’t wear it??? Wtf.

I think the real WTF should be that your child is ONLY volunteering so he can get the service cord and not because volunteering is both good for him as an individual and for his community. WTF, indeed.

Amen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This pisses me off. My son has been working his butt off for the 40 hours for the service cord. And how he can’t wear it??? Wtf.

I think the real WTF should be that your child is ONLY volunteering so he can get the service cord and not because volunteering is both good for him as an individual and for his community. WTF, indeed.

Volunteering is good for him and the community. How does wanting a cord to show his accomplishments change that? The two are not exclusive. The cord was an incentive.

It’s no different from getting a trophy after a sport season. Is your child only playing a sport to win a trophy? No, but it’s a nice way to end the season and it recognizes their hard work.

[Anonymous]

I don't recall the cords being expensive- I think my kid obviously had to pay club fees which were like $10 or $12 or else you couldn't get the cord.

I have one kid who was draped in stoles, cords, medals, etc and one who will be lucky to graduate. That one knows that he's responsible for (a lack of) participation in extracurriculars.

[Anonymous]

Thank God the equity bs will be long gone in college. Kids are recognized with cords at college graduation based on GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good. The cords are expensive and mean nothing.

Why does it mean nothing to get good grades in multiple AP classes, get over a 4.0 GPA, complete service hours, be in National Honor Society, etc.?

I haven't been to a FCPS graduation, but do they actually announce all these things or print them in the program? Is there a program? If not, they are at least a visible way to acknowledge hard work and success.
I think it's crazy to do away with all of that.

We already don't have valedictorians or class rank, which is a real problem on college applications.

Equity über Alles (in FCPS).