Kadoka High School
Kadoka, South Dakota
Teacher: Mrs. Teresa Shuck
Have We Abandoned Excellence
By Hillary Stroppel
11th Grade
What does excellence mean to you? To me, excellence means to strive for the best and never give up. I feel as if abandoned is a very strong word and I don’t think we have “abandoned” excellence in everything. But society has abandoned excellence in athletics, academics, and also everyday life. People need to try their hardest in everything they struggle and fight for. I think that people need to try their hardest to make another person smile. It doesn’t take much to open a door for somebody, or even say hi when you’re walking down the street. I feel that we haven’t abandoned excellence in the military. I’m very thankful, along with everyone else I know, for our soldiers who are trying their hardest and giving their lives up for everyone in America. How have we abandoned excellence in athletics? If you look at your school records, how many awards are there for the 90’s-00? I was taking a look at our school records. I noticed that in the 70’s-80’s, people were trying their hardest and not giving up. It seems like society no longer cares. We need to stop and think about how we can pursue excellence.
How have we abandoned excellence in academics? I have noticed in our school how no one cares about their grades. If you get an A on your paper, you get called an over achiever. I think everyone should try to be an over achiever and take it as a complement. I also think people have abandoned excellence in academics because they lowered the standards on kids passing grades so all kids could be at the same level. To me, students should try for their grades and not have grades handed to them.
How have we abandoned excellence in everyday life? People act like they are so busy and don’t have time for anything. We put off trying our best until we have more time or money. The trouble with this is that it may never happen. I think it is important to except every moment of the day we have, and never take anything for granted. While its here, we might as well try our best. Like I mentioned before, how hard is it to put a smile on someone ’s face by opening a door or even just a hello?
One reason why I think society has abandoned excellence is because we don’t have self-confidence, and we care too much about what someone else is going to think. People think to themselves, “I can’t do this, no matter how hard I try.” Well, you won’t know unless you try. “Having a good opinion of yourself and liking yourself is your self-esteem and makes life happier. Unrealistic expectations and comparisons can lower your esteem. Compare yourself with the masses and with your past performance to bolster your self-esteem.”
I feel as if we haven’t abandoned excellence in the military. People are over seas trying to fight for America’s rights. I feel like our soldiers are trying their all time best to help their fellow American’s. They are giving up their everything, their life, and their families to fight for us. That is what I call excellence, and I feel like this part of excellence has not been abandoned.
I believe that we have and have not abandoned excellence. I feel as if we have abandoned excellence because excellence is something that society takes for granted, and it is something that is not easily reached. I feel as if society hasn’t abandoned excellence because some people actually care about what other people think and how they can strive to make other people happy. How do you feel about striving for excellence to make this world a better place?
Questions
Q1- Am I really where I want to be?
I feel as if I am where I want to be at this point in life. I need to graduate from high school and obey my parents because they are raising me the right way in order to live a great life.
Q2- Am I moving in the direction that will enable me to make the greatest contribution?
I am moving in the direction that will enable me to make the greatest contribution which I feel is receiving my high school diploma, advancing my education, and moving on the provide a good living for my future family and me.
Q3- If I could achieve my highest goals, what would my accomplishments look like?
If I could achieve my highest goals, my accomplishments would have a very good outcome because I have been taught to never give up on anything. When I set a goal I am going to keep trying until I have accomplished it.
Q4- Do I recognize excellence and search it out or do I find mediocre acceptable and am willing to settle?
I recognize excellence and search it out. I don’t think anyone should settle for less. You can always do better than what you settle for.
Q5- Do I seek out people, books, movies and other things that encourage me to be the best I can be?
I seek out people more than books, movies and other things. Although I may not always use the encouragement that people give me, I still try to understand where they are coming from and use the advice if I feel it’s the right choice for me.
Q6- Do I recognize the best in others?
Yes, I feel as if I’m an optimistic person and look on the bright side of people, because everybody deserves a benefit of the doubt that he or she may be a good person.
Q9- Do you agree with Morrow (paragraph seven) that: “Excellence demands standards. It does not usually flourish in the midst of rapid, hectic change. This century’s sheer velocity has subverted the principle of excellence; a culture must be able to catch its breath.”
Yes, I agree with this quote, because I feel society needs time to catch our breath and pursue excellence.
Q7- Interpret this quote from paragraph nine: “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.”
Trouble will come and something bad will happen to the individual who is at ease with Jewish religion.
Q8- Argue pro and con Morrow’s contention that “Americans not yet successful (the struggling, the underclass) are apt to aim at ease, not excellence”?
Q9- Explain what Morrow means when he says (A) “the confusion contaminates character and disables ambition.” Do you agree?
Yes, confusion causes a misleading of judgment, which can lead to one’s bad character decisions.
Q10- Argue pro and con the effect of over stimulation and under stimulation as discussed in paragraph 10.
Over stimulation would be over emphasizing the situation and under stimulation would be not emphasizing enough of the situation.
Q11- Contrast practical excellence with metaphysical excellence as used in Morrow’s last paragraph.