High Schools In Cherry Creek School District Plan To Stop Naming A Valedictorian
(CBS4) -- High schools in the Cherry Creek School District plan to stop recognizing a class valedictorian at commencement ceremonies. The high school principals sent a letter to families this month, stating "learning is not a competition."
"The practices of class rank and Valedictorian status are outdated and inconsistent with what we know and believe of our students," the letter states. "We believe all students can learn at high levels, and learning is not a competition."
Additionally, the principals said the selection process varies from school to school.
"...we found inconsistency among our schools in numbers of Valedictorians, qualifications of Valedictorian status, and a
misunderstanding of what a Valedictorian is," they stated.
Beginning with the Class of 2026, schools will no longer designate a valedictorian.
The district plans to acknowledge academic achievements through various other ways, such as honor roll, GPA cords at graduation, department and school-specific awards, etc.