Class of 2009, finally you are Seniors. With the joy of becoming a Senior there also comes the benefits that students have been waiting so long for. These benefits are wrapped neatly into 3 words: Student Incentive Program. The senior incentive program was founded by the school, but is now run by Mark Hebert. There are two major benefits that come with being a Senior this year. One is that Senior’s get to go to a lounge like room. It has a T.V. for people to enjoy, computers, ability to bring in food and beverages, and the ability to talk to each other without being yelled at by any teacher. The other benefit is that during block days Seniors are allowed to leave school during their study halls. If that study hall is the hour before or the hour after their lunch then they may be absent during that lunch too.



These incentives have conditions of course. For these two wonderful privileges a Senior must: Fill out an application each quarter (not semester, quarter), Have a G.P.A of 3.0 or higher the quarter before. They must have 0 unexcused absences per quarter, have all school fees paid, no breaking the law, and many others. These benefits are supposed to be a positive reinforcement for students who consistently are doing well in school or congratulate Seniors on a job well done. Yet, it seems that there is many conditions for being able to stay in this program. Seeming to make it not worth the effort to stay in the Senior Incentive Program.

My mom used to tell me that I would love Senior year. That when she was in high school that they had open campus for Seniors and the ability to leave school any day for their study halls. Well things have changed a lot since my mom’s day. There are more disciplinary problems, more taking more privilege than was given and more danger then there was in her day.

In this day of age these benefits are given only if Seniors truly earn them, and one step out of line with being tardy or getting sent to ISS these privileges are taken away.

For those that grumble about only getting the ability to leave school during a block day think about the fact that instead you might have been sitting in the commons for an hour and a half falling asleep.