High school PTO unveils student incentive program

Getting the most out of high school students may be as simple as offering the right incentives.

With that in mind, the Warren County High School PTO Pride and the Yorozu Corporation have teamed up to give teens just that ? an incentive program for good grades, behavior and attendance.

?This is a major program and I think it?s going to make a difference,? said PTO president Jeff McKinley. ?It?s a way of rewarding kids for doing well.?

Beginning this semester, any freshman, sophomore, or junior at WCHS who improves in one of the three mentioned areas could meet the criteria for a new program called Pioneer Renaissance. A student who meets the criteria will receive one of four cards filled with incentives and a corresponding T-shirt.

To obtain one of the cards, students must accomplish the following:

? Blue Card ? Raise GPA by half a point from one semester to the next. This could be as easy as raising three grades one grade higher from the last semester.

? White Card ? Make all B?s or above. These students will be allowed to attend all home sporting events half price and attend one school dance half price.

? Silver Card ? No absences, no tardies and no discipline referrals. These students will be allowed in free to all home sporting events and free to one school dance.

? Red Card ? All A?s for the semester. These students will be given 10 percent off at the bookstore, free admission to all home sporting events, one free admission to a dance and one independent study day. The study day is a day off from school and must be pre-approved.

?From my time at the Chamber working with area employers, one of the things I hear from them is they want employees who show up for work, who are there on time, and who don?t cause trouble,? said McKinley. ?This program rewards those type of students.?

All card holders will receive discounts donated by area businesses similar to smart cards. There are currently 18 businesses participating with the hope of increasing that number to 40 before the first cards are awarded at the end of this semester.

Special incentives will also be handed out by one of the Warren County High School principals. Thanks to a generous donation by Dr Pepper Bottling Company, every week or so free drinks will be given to students with the cards. On other days, principals will also be designating card holders as first in line at lunch.

Some teachers will also be giving incentives in classrooms. Incentive ideas include dropping the lowest test grade, homework passes, and no note taking day.

Occasionally, a Renaissance T-shirt Day will be held. All students who have received a card will have their names placed in a bowl. Every class period, a student?s name will be drawn for prizes such as gift cards and gas cards of various amounts. In order to get the prize, the student must be wearing the shirt.

Importantly, the cards have an expiration date of six months. In order to continue to get the incentives, students must continue to qualify for a card with good grades or good behavior.

An awards ceremony will be held in July or early August for those who qualify for a card after this semester. For more information, the school?s Web site, www.warrencountyhighschool.com, will have all the information in one to two weeks.