16-year old high school student Anjali Datta will graduate from Grapevine High School in Texas, with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5.898. This is not only the highest GPA in this year's graduating class but the highest ever in the school's 103-year old history! - Yet on graduation day, she will not be named Valedictorian.
Instead the title and a one-year college scholarship will be awarded to the student who has second highest GPA. The reason for this is that Anjali is so smart that she completed four years of high school in just three years. However, according to School District rules, the Valedictorian has to be a student with not only the highest GPA, but also one who attended high school for four years.
Incase you are wondering, a Valedictorian is the title that is given to a student with the highest grades and in the case of graduating high school students, means one year's scholarship to the college of his/her choice and the honor of representing the class as the last speaker in the graduation ceremony.
Since Anjali, who started doing high school courses when she was in middle school, did not spend the full four years to complete high school, she cannot get the title. While she will be announced at the graduation ceremony as Valedictorian - three years, she will not be eligible for the scholarship.
It seems to us that this sixteen-year old is getting 'punished' for being really smart. What do you think? Be sure to add your comments below.