Cal High Academic Awards Honor Students

Scholastic excellence and classroom achievements earned over 600 California High School seniors and juniors an Academic Award on Wednesday.

The awards, given to individuals who received a 3.5 grade point average or higher last semester, were presented by Principal Mark Corti in front of the entire junior and senior classes and an audience of parents during a ceremony in Cal High’s Event Center.

In years past, the ceremony took place at night, but this year the school administration decided to hold it during the school day. Students were pulled out of class during the tutorial period, a 30-minute block of time in which students may read, study, or work.

Part of the rationale for the time change was so that students busy with after-school extracurriculars and sports could still attend, but there was a more important reason as well.

“We wanted the students honored in front of their peers,” said Corti. “Hopefully students serve as a role model to motivate other students to better their performance in and out of the classroom.”

Karen Morelli, who came to the event to see her son receive an award, agreed with the school’s reasoning.

“I think it’s a great idea to motivate the other students, and I hope the kids saw it that way,” she said.

Morelli was one of a large number of parents who attended the recognition ceremony to support their children despite it being in the mid-morning.

Also present at the event was Toni Taylor, the Director of Categorical Programs for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, marking the first time the district has been involved in the Cal High Academic Awards.

Though Corti said he received all positive feedback from the parents he spoke with afterwards, some students were hesitant to call the event a success.

“I thought it was a nice gesture to congratulate students in front of their parents and peers for their work,” said senior Jake Donnally. “Theoretically, I think there is a benefit to doing it in front of peers, but it seemed unorganized, like it was thrown together, and that prevented kids from maybe taking something away from the experience.”

Other students also complained about missing tutorial period, a time which many allocate to finish homework, receive tutoring, or speak with teachers.

On Thursday, there will be a similar ceremony to distribute Academic Awards for sophomores, for which school district Superintendent Steven Enoch will be present. The ceremony for freshman Academic Awards is scheduled for Friday.