NEWS
Students culminate English assignment with mock scholarship signing day
Gary Hanner
02-08-2008
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A mock scholarship signing was held last week at Ragland High School to help motivate students to do more writing. Administrators taking part were Justin Burns, Jeff Hardy, Lisa Reagan and Gina Merritt. Students participating were, seated from left, Justice Looney, Lauren Wright, Aundrea Hannah, Emily Church and Mallory Jones. Standing, from left, are students Montana Parnell, Jimmy Brock, Ethan Burnham, Jordan Looney, Sawyer Merritt and Chandler Caywood. /Gary Hanner/St. Clair Times
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In an inventive way to help motivate students to do more writing, Gina Merritt’s 7th and 8th grade English classes held a mock scholarship-signing day lat week.Administrators and teachers played the role of coaches and professors from all the different colleges while students had the chance to sign a scholarship in the field of their dreams. The students are preparing for the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing and Merritt said this mock scholarship signing was Principal Jeff Hardy’s idea. “Our students who participated have researched the schools and careers,” Merritt said. “They have completed applications and have written letters of recommendation. They also wrote essays to compete for the scholarships. The students and a committee evaluated each candidate and chose the recipients. I have to agree that the real life application of research and writing skills has been a great motivation.” Everyone involved had loads of fun with the project. Coach Justin Burns was Alabama head football coach Nick Saban while Hardy, who is an avid Tennessee fan, dressed as the Volunteer head coach Phillip Fulmer. Lisa Reagan was Tennessee girls basketball coach Pat Summit. “This is just a great tool to motivate our students,” Hardy said. “If we can tie athletics into writing, then we can pull kids in and they can understand the importance of writing and the importance of education. Mrs. Merritt and the kids started talking about this the first week of school and they have done a great job pulling it all together. This is a great thing and hopefully, somewhere down the road, these students will be signing real scholarships to college somewhere, whether it be athletically or academically.” This has been a huge success,” added Merritt. “The students have been motivated by seeing real-life applications of the writing skills. It is hard to motivate seventh and eighth graders to write essays but when they are competing for scholarships and understand that writing is a life-long skill they need, it has motivated them greatly.
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About Gary Hanner
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Gary Hanner is Associate Editor of The St. Clair Times.
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Contact Gary Hanner
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