The top twenty students of a graduating class. What does it mean to you? To me it means four years of hard work, dedication, determination, challenges, risks, and sleepless nights. Overall, it means that you have worked hard enough to earn that title, to be in the top of your graduating class. Being top of a graduating class means that you have fought through every struggle, cleaned every tear and moved on to still graduate top of your class.

Perth Amboy High School’s graduating class has a top twenty of very determined and hardworking individuals. They have fought through differences, stereotypes, and even being undocumented in order to get to this place in the top of their graduation class.

As long as many individuals around our city can remember, the top twenty students are recognized for their hard work by sitting them in the first line in the graduation ceremony. However, during this year’s graduation there was a decision to change this tradition and place everyone alphabetically.

Placing all the students together loses the recognition of the top twenty. Each and every one of us have earned their spot like a person earns their spot at a job. If you are in a position as president of a company, you would want to be recognize for your hard work. So if we’ve worked hard to be on the top twenty, we want to be recognized for the work. I believe that everyone should be recognized for their work and sitting us in the front is just one of the ways to show appreciation.

We have tried emailing various school officials in regards to this matter, yet still have not received a response. It is just not one person who is not being recognized is twenty people. It is just finally recognizing our hard work, it is just so our parents can be there and say that’s my child he/she is in the front line.

— Jaritza Rodriguez
Class of 2013

Editor’s Note: I attended the PAHS Graduation on 6/27/13. In the program, the top 20 students were listed first. When their names were called, they all were sitting in the front rows. Ms. Rodriguez’s letter was written on 6/24/13. In this case, her voice and others were heard and the school decided to follow tradition. C.M.