What would be your strategy for getting over the disappointment and anger?
Think about a time when you had to do something difficult, stressful or time-consuming, like audition for a play, try out for a team or take an important test. Now, suppose you were told you had to do it all over again because of an accident or a mistake that had nothing to do with you.
What would be your strategy for getting over the disappointment and anger? Do you think you might perform better in the redo? Or do you think frustration might get the best of you?
In a recent article, Claire Fahy wrote about a group of Texas high school students who have to retake the SATs after their tests flew off a UPS truck. The article begins:
The rumors had been circulating through the hallways of El Paso High School for days: Students had seen test papers strewn across busy Mesa Street on Oct. 28, and the pencil-filled Scantron bubbles were a dead giveaway — these were SAT tests, just like the ones that 315 students had taken at the school in Texas the day before.
“I was driving on Mesa Street back from the gym and all of a sudden, I see like, a bunch of papers just everywhere,” said Freddy Chavez, a senior at El Paso High School. “I really didn’t think much of it until a few days later, when I heard rumors that those are actually SATs. I connected the dots right away.”
Students were called to a meeting during last period on Wednesday and told the news: the SAT tests they had taken on Oct. 27 would not be scored, because they had flown off a UPS truck that was transporting them. Instead of using their results to finalize their college applications, the students would instead have to take the often-harrowing test again.
UPS is still conducting an investigation, but was quick to own up to its error. “We have apologized to the school and extend our apologies to the students,” UPS said in a statement. “The driver’s actions in this case are not representative of UPS protocols and methods, and we have addressed this with him. Safely and reliably meeting our service commitments is UPS’s first priority.”
Pablo Villa, the director of Community Engagement at the El Paso Independent School District, said it was not yet clear exactly how the tests had ended up scattered on the street, describing it as “a unique situation.”
Ezra Ponzio, a senior, said that when students first heard the rumors, they all hoped that it wasn’t their tests on the road. According to the El Paso ISD, all but 55 of the 315 tests were recovered. Mr. Ponzio said even though most tests were found, they were still considered compromised, so everyone would have to take the test again.
“They were like, ‘Hey, this is not our fault whatsoever. It’s on the UPS, but you still have to retake it,’” Mr. Ponzio said. “So that was annoying.”
The El Paso Independent School district said in a statement that the tests had been “securely submitted to UPS.” The district said that the school was working with the College Board, which administers the tests, to remedy the issue. It has also offered waivers to affected students to take the ACT on Dec. 10 free of charge.
Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
How do you think you would react if you were one of the students whose tests flew off the back of a UPS truck? Why?
Do you think there are any possible positive outcomes for the students?
The article notes that one of the students, Ezra Ponzio, “was hoping to apply early to his first-choice school, Texas A&M University, but now his test scores won’t be submitted in time.” It continued, “He said he may apply using the ‘test optional’ alternative, but he worries that will affect his chances of getting in.” What do you think he should do? Who might be able to help him?
Think about a time in your life when a challenge or difficulty arose that wasn’t your fault. What was it? How did you handle it? What, if anything, did you learn? If other people were involved, what do you think they learned? How have you moved on after an upsetting situation? What advice do you have for others who are going through something difficult that is out of their control? Tell us about a time when something important didn’t go as planned. How did you respond?
What would be your strategy for getting over the disappointment and anger? Do you think you might perform better in the redo? Or do you think frustration might get the best of you?
In a recent article, Claire Fahy wrote about a group of Texas high school students who have to retake the SATs after their tests flew off a UPS truck. The article begins:
The rumors had been circulating through the hallways of El Paso High School for days: Students had seen test papers strewn across busy Mesa Street on Oct. 28, and the pencil-filled Scantron bubbles were a dead giveaway — these were SAT tests, just like the ones that 315 students had taken at the school in Texas the day before.
“I was driving on Mesa Street back from the gym and all of a sudden, I see like, a bunch of papers just everywhere,” said Freddy Chavez, a senior at El Paso High School. “I really didn’t think much of it until a few days later, when I heard rumors that those are actually SATs. I connected the dots right away.”
Students were called to a meeting during last period on Wednesday and told the news: the SAT tests they had taken on Oct. 27 would not be scored, because they had flown off a UPS truck that was transporting them. Instead of using their results to finalize their college applications, the students would instead have to take the often-harrowing test again.
UPS is still conducting an investigation, but was quick to own up to its error. “We have apologized to the school and extend our apologies to the students,” UPS said in a statement. “The driver’s actions in this case are not representative of UPS protocols and methods, and we have addressed this with him. Safely and reliably meeting our service commitments is UPS’s first priority.”
Pablo Villa, the director of Community Engagement at the El Paso Independent School District, said it was not yet clear exactly how the tests had ended up scattered on the street, describing it as “a unique situation.”
Ezra Ponzio, a senior, said that when students first heard the rumors, they all hoped that it wasn’t their tests on the road. According to the El Paso ISD, all but 55 of the 315 tests were recovered. Mr. Ponzio said even though most tests were found, they were still considered compromised, so everyone would have to take the test again.
“They were like, ‘Hey, this is not our fault whatsoever. It’s on the UPS, but you still have to retake it,’” Mr. Ponzio said. “So that was annoying.”
The El Paso Independent School district said in a statement that the tests had been “securely submitted to UPS.” The district said that the school was working with the College Board, which administers the tests, to remedy the issue. It has also offered waivers to affected students to take the ACT on Dec. 10 free of charge.
Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
How do you think you would react if you were one of the students whose tests flew off the back of a UPS truck? Why?
Do you think there are any possible positive outcomes for the students?
The article notes that one of the students, Ezra Ponzio, “was hoping to apply early to his first-choice school, Texas A&M University, but now his test scores won’t be submitted in time.” It continued, “He said he may apply using the ‘test optional’ alternative, but he worries that will affect his chances of getting in.” What do you think he should do? Who might be able to help him?
Think about a time in your life when a challenge or difficulty arose that wasn’t your fault. What was it? How did you handle it? What, if anything, did you learn? If other people were involved, what do you think they learned? How have you moved on after an upsetting situation? What advice do you have for others who are going through something difficult that is out of their control? Tell us about a time when something important didn’t go as planned. How did you respond?
