Perlotto Shares Her Reaction to Valedictorian Controversy

Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch got the chance to chat with Sydney Perlotto about the recent controversy regarding the valedictorian selection. Perlotto had spoken to Patch last month in our story about her high school experiences and looking forward to college plans. Her reflections on her academic career have become tarnished by a district policy that has caused her to lose the No. 1 ranking.

Patch: What was your reaction to the announcement that you would not be class valedictorian?

Perlotto:  It was really heartbreaking to find out that I was no longer No. 1. It wouldn’t have bothered me as much if it had happened earlier in the year, or if I was passed by a classmate that I knew. Usually by second semester senior year things are pretty much set, and it was shocking and upsetting to find out that I and my classmates were all bumped back one by someone we didn’t even know and who had never physically taken a class at our school.

Patch: Do you agree with the district policy regarding the calculation of grade point averages?

Perlotto: The nature of this issue is due to faulty policy, and it is ridiculous the way the jetting (dual enrollment) grades are weighted. The current system basically says that if you want to be valedictorian, go ahead and jet - you can take less classes, make lower grades, and get double the credit for one semester and we’ll still give you the award.

Patch: Did you give any thought yourself to becoming a dual enrolled student yourself while you were at Etowah?

Perlotto:  I chose not to jet because I wanted to have the option of going to school out of state, and credits from Kennesaw or West Georgia won’t transfer the majority of the time. AP classes and tests do transfer because they are standardized across the whole United States. The award means a lot to me because I have worked hard for it, taking as many advanced placement classes as I could each year. 

Patch: What else have you been involved in as a part of the Etowah community?

Perlotto: Besides the hard classes I’ve taken, I have also worked hard helping out my school and community through clubs. I am president of the EHS National Honor Society and a Senior leader/team captain of the EHS Relay for Life team.   I am also a member of Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society) and the National Beta club. I have previously been involved in clubs such as Spanish Club, Spanish Honor Society, Student Ambassadors and Model UN. 

Patch: How important is it to you to be able to give the commencement address at graduation? What would you say to your classmates?

Perlotto: Giving the speech is important to me because I would have a chance to speak to all my friends, classmates, teachers, family and other influential people in my life all at the same time. The Valedictorian Speech is a farewell, a chance to reflect upon all that has been experienced by the students together and celebrate a chance for new beginnings. The whole point of graduation is for those who have taken a huge journey–four years of high school–to reflect on the good, the funny, the bad, the sad, the etc. times they have experienced together. 

In my speech I would talk about those times, those experiences that the EHS class of 2011 knows intimately, and then wish them well on the separate journeys we would all soon be taking.

I don’t understand how someone, who does not have those experiences, those memories, to come and represent the class at graduation. The valedictorian is not just supposed to have the highest GPA; they are supposed to represent the achievements, accomplishments and experiences of the entire graduating class.