By Gary Jacobs
SAN DIEGO–As many of you know by now High Tech High International (HTHI) is one of the top six finalists in the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge put on by the White House.
Teams of students had to submit essays and videos on why their school is exemplary. Our students showed in their project why HTHI – and really all High Tech High schools – are an example of successful public education. This contest has really put the national spotlight on HTH education!
The professional team of observers for this final challenge was very impressed with how these students worked together so professionally to produce such quality work in the 20 hour time-limit they had to complete it. Their project is really a testament to HTH education. These students worked collaboratively for weeks to produce their qualifying project. After being supported to work in depth on this project, they became experts and were able to, by relying on each others’ strengths to work successfully as a team, to produce their final video, which we will all now have the opportunity to view.
Please take a look at the rules below and vote, starting today (Thursday, April 21.) It will take around 15 minutes or so to view all the videos, which is necessary for voting fairly. Please help support all these hard-working students – and all the HTH schools – by taking the time to cast your vote.
Please pass this on to anyone you know who would consider voting!!! Thank you for your time and support.
Race to the Top Commencement Challenge Voting Rules
- On Thursday, April 21, 2011, public review and rating of the finalists in the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge will begin at: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/Commencement
- Rating of the schools will be based on a short essay and a three-minute video from each school, shown in random order.
- Visitors will rate the finalists on a scale of 1-5 (with 1 as the lowest rating and 5 as the highest). After a rating is submitted, the next school’s work will be presented
· Each person is only allowed to rate the schools one time.
· The White House reserves can remove ratings if we suspect that voting is being manipulated to give one school an unfair advantage. This includes (but is not limited to) rating their school a ‘5’ and all the other schools a ‘1’. ( DO NOT DO THIS)
- Voting will end at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 29, 2011, so please vote ASAP
- At the end of the rating period, the three schools with the highest average ratings will be submitted to President Obama for final selection.
- The top 3 schools will be announced on Monday, May 2, 2011 with the winner being announced later that week.
*
Jacobs is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of High Tech High Schools as well as a former president of the Lawrence Family JCC and the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County. It is expected that U.S. President Barack Obama will deliver the commencement address at the winning school.