Food for Thought: Should a 2.8 GPA be Considered Failure?

At Thomas Jefferson, 2.8 Is Tantamount to Failure

By Jay Mathews

Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 26, 2008; Page B01

Matthew Nuti finished 10th grade at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology with much to be proud of. He excelled in oratory on the Model United Nations team. He was a starting lineman in junior varsity football. His English teacher complimented his classroom wit. Like virtually all students at the very selective public magnet school in Fairfax County, he scored near the top on the Virginia state Standards of Learning exams.

Oh, and he had a 2.8 grade point average for the school year. At most schools, that would be a B-minus, not too bad, but at Jefferson it has just gotten him expelled.

This is puzzling to Matthew, 16, and his family, because Jefferson, often known as TJ, admitted him in 2006 when he had a 2.8 average in middle school. His high score on the entrance test helped secure him a seat in the regional school. But TJ administrators, influenced by an accreditation committee recommendation, decided last year to make 3.0 the minimum to stay in the school. At that time, fewer than 2 percent of students fell below that benchmark. Read the full article on WashingtonPost.com>

Jessica Hudson’s new album debuts September 30

From American Idol, Effie in Dreamgirls, to Louise in Sex in the City, true Diva Jennifer Hudson releases her new self-titled album drops September 30. The first single “Spotlight” is produced by one of our favorite’s Ne-Yo. The album is rumored to also have collaborations with Robin Thicke, John Legend, and Akon, among other chart toppers. Ain’t no stoppin’ this 26-year-old Oscar and Golden Globe. She’s a real life example that if you work hard and smart, focusing on your talents, you can make your dreams come true.

Jennifer Hudson at the BET Awards

Top corporate execs share lessons from their teen jobs

Software Spectrum co-founder Judy Odom, at a Mister Tuxedo in Dallas, ran a tuxedo rental shop as a 17-year-old in Fort Worth.

By Del Jones, USA TODAY

When he was 18, CEO David Haffner of manufacturer Leggett & Platt worked the graveyard shift at a Hercules explosives plant in Missouri.

Each night, Haffner and two others loaded 200,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate onto a railroad boxcar, one 50-pound bag at a time, hustling to finish early to squeeze in an hour of sleep at 6 a.m. before heading to classes at Missouri Southern State University. Haffner says he developed Popeye forearms making $3.86 an hour in 1971, moving enough explosive each shift to blow up 300 acres in Vietnam.

Today, Haffner, 55, runs a company with 24,000 employees. Long ago, his performance ceased to be measured by the perspiration on his brow. But hard labor was not foreign to him or to many CEOs as teens.

Read the article on USAToday.com>

Talented student artists shine at Summer Arts Institute

New York City's top student artists hone their skills at Summer Arts Institute

 Even though school is out for the summer, Stuyvesant High School’s halls are alive with the sound of music. The classrooms are also filled with students creating self-portraits, photographs, films, plays, and dances.

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