With the holidays approaching and the halls decorated for the season, the school’s attendance competition is well underway and will conclude on Wednesday, December 18th, just before winter break. The competition is difficult to ignore, much like the cold temperatures, but are students truly interested? Sure, the prizes, normally a dress-down day and some type of snack, are nice to have. However, they don’t seem to get students excited about participating in the competition; for most of them, it is just behind-the-scenes noise.
Naturally, attendance is a key component of academic performance, and the administration’s initiatives to encourage it are admirable. At best, though, the general agreement among students appears to be ambivalence.
“Although it’s good when we win, I doubt that anyone gives it much thought daily,” said Prep senior Tomas Maceda.
Others shared his sentiments; although the idea of a dress-free day or free snacks is always appealing, it might not be the perfect way to create change in attendance.
Why, therefore, do students not care more about the competition? Some draw attention to the competition’s timing. Some students just have other priorities as the holidays draw near and the pressure to perform well academically is strong before the winter break.
“I’m currently more concerned with getting things done before the break. I just don’t track the competition as closely, I get updates from my friends,” said Prep senior Samantha Faustino. This draws attention to the fact students have a lot on their plates with classes, extracurriculars, and homework. This causes students to not prioritize the attendance competition, and keep it in the background.
Even still, there is no doubting the momentary thrill that occurs when a high school grade and a middle school homeroom are named the winners. Students savor the moment together whether it is with a dress-down day or treats during their lunch periods.
The competition accomplishes its goal in certain situations, even though the excitement doesn’t always last during the build-up. Maybe the attendance competition is not meant to be something huge. Maybe it’s just that small encouragement for students to try to stay in line with the schedule, and for that, it does work.
Students certainly enjoy getting something when the time comes. As the competition draws to a conclusion this fall, it’s important to think about how these kinds of programs might be more appealing to students.
Even though the incentives are valued, maybe new prizes might spark interest? As this year’s competition comes to an end, the question remains: Who will take the prize home? One thing is certain—whether students care or not, winning always feels a little sweet.
