Teacher Praises Student Who Asked For His Bonus Test Points To Go To Peer With Lowest Score

May 12, 2023 by apost team

In an unprovoked gesture of compassion, one of Winston Lee’s straight-A history students at Letcher County Central High School in Kentucky wrote a note at the end of his February 2020 history test asking whether he could give up his bonus points to the student who scored the lowest. Lee agreed, and those extra points ended up saving a classmate from a failing grade.

Everyone knows that while some schools may strive to put a focus on community and not on competitiveness, students these days often get caught up in comparing grades, getting the highest scores and hoarding extra points — even when it doesn’t affect their grades. But in Lee’s 11th-grade history class in the heart of southeast Kentucky, one student made sure to pay it forward on the WWII exam. The day before the exam, Lee explained that the class had played an interactive game in which students could receive extra credit for the 100 points, 50 multiple choice question exam. The straight-A student, Lee said in an email to Apost, “killed it,” earning five extra points to cushion his score even further.

But on the day of the test, as students were handing their copies in, Lee noticed that the A-student who had scored the five extra bonus points had written a note next to an asterisk on his test that read: “If you could, can you give my bonus point to whoever scores the lowest?” Lee added that beyond being taken aback, a number of questions ran through his head when he read the note.

“So many questions,” Lee explained in his email. “‘I put nothing beyond this student but this? This guy wants to give away his bonus points? To ANY peer? Not even to a friend or specified person of special interest? He doesn’t even care about what situation may have caused them to score low?"

He continued in his email: "How does he know that he doesn’t need them? Most honor students cling to every point possible! How can he be willing to give up his earning?!"

According to CNN, Lee posted this story of generosity on social media, where it spread across the internet, leading to a flood of comments praising the student for his selflessness. Although Lee was surprised that this student was so generous as to save one of his fellow classmates from failing by giving up his own points, he also described this anonymous good student as an “awesome” guy, known for his engagement in the class. 

“We’ve had huge political debates in class this year (we keep it friendly), and my man always has some awesome, intelligent input,” Lee said in his email. “This day, he went above and beyond the realm of awesome.”

While there was an overwhelmingly positive response to this student’s anonymous good deed, not everyone thought that Lee should have allowed him to share his bonus points. According to CNN, some commenters said they felt that offering to help the struggling student with his studies rather than just giving him points would have been a more productive gesture.

Despite some of the negative feedback — which Lee attributes to people overthinking the student’s actions — Lee told CNN that he hasn’t changed his mind, and he says that he hopes everyone learns something from this student’s selfless act. As for Lee, he says that he, too, has learned something.

“Oddly enough, the student has taught the lesson,” he wrote in an email. “During this dreary February day in small town K.Y., may we pour out love and learn to PAY IT FORWARD without circumstance. Be brave and selfless, give your bonus points away.”

apost.com

What do you think of this anonymous student's actions? Has a fellow classmate ever done anything similar for you? Let us know what you think, and make sure to pass this heartwarming story on to family members and friends.