Today's youth

[Jimi]

I spent the day as a volunteer judge for the Kansas District 4 FBLA achievment competetion. This is my fourth year with the project and each year I am impressed with the quality of work and the quality of the kids that you see in these Future Business Leaders of America conferences. Their work and presentations today were outstanding and I am a hard rater. You have to score these young people tough or they would all score extreemly high.

If I had the chance I would hire ANY or ALL of the kids I scored today. The other judge and I on our competition agreed that the hardest thing we had to do was find things to take points off for. I have to deal with lots of people day-in and day-out and sometimes I get discouraged with them. Today recharged my batteries BIG TIME! Any time you get the chance to work with kids like this take it. I get WAY more out of it than the effort it takes from me.

GO America's youth!!!

[catladyok]

A big thumbs up to you, Jimi, for getting involved in this! Kids need positive re-inforcement in order to remain motivated, and just having adults like you who applaud their efforts and recognize their potential makes all the difference in the world.

Rock on, Jimi!

[walkaway]

A couple of Saturdays this spring I have judged Texas University Interscholastic League newswriting and related contests.

I've been appalled, not with the performance of the students, but with the criteria for judging. I've been told that the only comments allowed are praises, and that you can't count off for errors because you'll damage the kids' self-esteem.

Let me say this about that. If they seriously intend to get a job after school, they need to be able to read, write, spell, do simple arithmetic, and accurately recount details. It's called communication, and that is the entire and only point of newswriting -- or any other endeavor connected with marketing, news media, or advertising.

Making up stuff, misquoting written sources, misidentifying or not identifying speakers in a written story, misspelling the names of your sources or subjects -- these things will keep you from getting a job in the real world. They ought to keep you from getting a passing grade on a paper while all they can cost you is having to do the paper over. Tough on the nascent ego? You bet; a worthwhile learning experience in a semi-protected environment? Absolutely.

You go to school to get an education, not an ego-stroking.

This 'self-esteem' thing is DISABLING kids. It's not empowering them. It's teaching them that the people they look up to don't believe they're very good, don't believe they have talent or intelligence or teachability.

[carolann]

I've been appalled, not with the performance of the students, but with the criteria for judging. I've been told that the only comments allowed are praises, and that you can't count off for errors because you'll damage the kids' self-esteem.
:(

Absurd.

[Jimi]

Let me say this about that. If they seriously intend to get a job after school, they need to be able to read, write, spell, do simple arithmetic, and accurately recount details. It's called communication, and that is the entire and only point of newswriting -- or any other endeavor connected with marketing, news media, or advertising..

You go to school to get an education, not an ego-stroking.

This 'self-esteem' thing is DISABLING kids. It's not empowering them. It's teaching them that the people they look up to don't believe they're very good, don't believe they have talent or intelligence or teachability.
Right on walkaway! In life as in real sports they keep score and you don't get extra points for just showing up. Kids need the truth. Real self esteem comes from real accomplishment. To not set standards is to deprive everyone of esteem because there is no chance for excellence.

Somehow I bet that whoever set the tone that everyone should be praised and all work is good work, would not want our General Surgeon or our Nurses to take the same attitude. Come to think of it maybe the clerks at a couple of the insurance companys we do business with went to schools with training like that because it is hard to get correct claims processing done. There sure is a general lack of excellence and pride in work on alot of fronts these days.