Tougher standards set for valedictorians

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Monday, June 5, 2006 | 7:18 a.m.

With graduation on the horizon, Palo Verde High School senior Holly Beyerle has been working hard on her valedictorian speech - all 60 seconds of it.

That's rather short for commencement remarks. But maybe not when you consider how busy the podium will be that day.

"That's one very good thing about multiple valedictorians," said Beyerle, who is sharing the honor with eight of her classmates. "The audience will get to hear different points of view about our high school experiences instead of one long speech from one person."

This isn't the first time Clark County's high schools have turned out multiple valedictorians. But tallies aren't likely to be as high in the future because the district, like many across the United States, is taking steps to bring the rank of valedictorian back a little closer to its historical definition: The student with the highest scholastic rank.

The ranks have swollen in recent years because districts broadly assigned extra academic points.

Coronado High School in Henderson leads the district this year with 17 candidates for valedictorian, followed by Las Vegas Academy with 14, Clark and Green Valley with 10 each and Moapa Valley and Palo Verde both with nine.

Those higher numbers arise, in part, because of the district's practice of assigning equal extra credit points to both advanced placement and honors classes. Beginning with the class of 2007, however, AP courses, which are based on a national standard and can translate into college credits, will carry a higher point value.

"We want to give extra weight to the kids who went the extra mile," said Jane Kadoich, director of guidance and counseling for the district. "We didn't change the bottom of the bar. However, we did increase the top."

The change brings Clark County in line with many other larger school districts in the nation, Kadoich said.

"We expect next year's numbers to drop significantly," Kadoich said. "And we're fine with that."

So are the students, apparently.

"AP classes are more difficult. It makes sense to count them for more," said Coronado High School student Cameron Ball, a candidate for valedictorian. "Then if there are 17 kids who deserve it, 17 kids should get it."

Thomas Bates, another Coronado valedictorian candidate, joked that he "felt sorry" for his school's sole salutatorian, an honor given to the senior with the second-highest GPA.

"What do they say, 'Hi, I'm second in my class - behind 17 other people.' "