High Life A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : High School Letters: Badges to Recognize a Host of Activities

Walking the halls or milling about the quad, they tend to stand head and shoulders above the average students, those athletes wearing lettermen’s jackets.

But should such a distinction--the “red badge of courage”--be made solely on the basis of participation in sports, especially when there are so many other pursuits that can take up a student’s time and energy?

Hot Topics wonders: “In what non-sport areas should high school letters be awarded? Why?”

“Cheerleading, because cheerleaders work just as hard as any other sport and cheerleading season lasts all year.”

Joyce Chen, 17, senior, Ocean View

“Perfect attendance, because it’s hard to achieve.”

David Berryman, 16, junior, Heritage

“ASB (student government), because of the magnitude of our jobs. We end up doing a lot more than our job description entails.”

April White, 18, senior, Irvine

“Music, because letters should be awarded for a demonstration of talent, dedication and expression, and music is a manifestation of all of those.”

Rob Guffey, 18, senior, Huntington Beach

“Being in honors classes. “

Megan Barnul, 15, sophomore, Laguna Hills

“Probably I would think the person who tries the hardest, even though they get Cs, just to show that they tried.”

Brenda Gonzales, 16, junior, Rosary

“Business, because if you achieve things with computers . . . industries use computers now.”

Rosa Contreras, 17, senior, Huntington Beach

“Varsity letters should be given only to athletes and not to anyone else, because that is what the letters are for.”

Melva Aguon, 17, junior, Savanna

“Anything but sports.”

Brandon Hunter, 17, senior, Ocean View

“Drama, because most people in drama don’t take a sport and it is like a sport.”

Bob Wood, 16, junior, Irvine

“Student government, because they do more than athletes.”

Robert Hays, 17, junior, Savanna

“OCAD (Orange County Academic Decathlon), because you put in a lot of hours.”

Shayna Libbe, 16, sophomore, Laguna Hills

“Weightlifting, because you have to work just as hard at it as you do in a sport.”

Nathan Eakins, 15, sophomore, Heritage

“For the highest grade-point average of the year. A lot of young high school students are better academically than physically and should get letters in academics.”

Sonya Selby, 15, freshman, Savanna

“For being in clubs for all four years, because it shows a sign of commitment.”

Joelle Lopez, 15, freshman, Rosary

“Letters should be awarded for outstanding effort in extracurricular activities such as MUN (Model United Nations), band and cheerleading. Academic excellence should also be rewarded with letters. Just as in sports, academic work takes time, hard work and continual devotion.”

Monica Le, 15, sophomore, Ocean View

“Band, maybe.”

Lisa Campbell, 14, freshman, Laguna Hills

“Aerobics, because it requires a lot of perseverance.”

Tami Nevarez, 15, freshman, Heritage

“Our school already has them (letters) for a lot of things, like academic decathlon and drama.”

Tran Tran, 18, senior, Irvine

“Good grades, because you have to work really hard to get them and when you do get them, it’s quite an accomplishment.”

Lark Alloway, 17, senior, Heritage

“Students who have achieved an A average for at least two years. Too much emphasis has been placed upon sports and not enough on grades.”

Minh Nguyen, 17, senior, Ocean View

“Academics, because if you’re awarded for physical ability, mental accomplishments should also be recognized.”

Linda Shih, 17, senior, Huntington Beach

“Cheerleading and band should be awarded special letters for year-round extracurricular work. Academics is required, not extracurricular, and shouldn’t be awarded letters.”

Paul-Wayne Mahlow, 17, junior, Ocean View

“I think a letter should be awarded because someone works hard to do their best in whatever they do.”

Mylene Dalmacio, 17, junior, Irvine

“Band.”

Karen Bliss, 15, sophomore, Huntington Beach

“For getting a 4.0 GPA in accelerated or honors courses for an entire year.”

Robert Benefield, 16, sophomore, Savanna

Next Week’s Hot Topic:

If you could be the President of the United States, what one policy would come into effect or what one policy would be done away with? Why?

Hot Topic responses gathered by John Doney (Heritage), Jane Wey (Huntington Beach), Adria Silva (Irvine), Megan Kenney (Laguna Hills), Felice Wu (Ocean View), Asra Hashmy (Rosary) and Jonathan Han (Savanna).