Booth Scholars Summer Program returns to Marshall July 13

July 3, 2008 Booth Scholars Summer Program returns to Marshall July 13 By Huntingtonnews.net Staff Huntington, WV --- Marshall University will open its Huntington campus to 115 Wayne County high school students ...

[concerned]

I think the Booth Scholar Program has lost sight of the educational side of the program, and Brenda Napier is getting her dream of "WORLD TRAVEL".

[seen it all too often]

Absolutely, just a haven for BOE offspring. Check the roster.

[jaded]

It was a great program, but now it seems as if it is a personality contest, more than an educational contest. Some of the brightest kids are not being chosen....

[BALLIX3]

from what i've seen the kids in it are usually more miserable than they are happy

[a wayne county parent]

concerned wrote:

I think the Booth Scholar Program has lost sight of the educational side of the program, and Brenda Napier is getting her dream of "WORLD TRAVEL".

The program was focused on education at one time but now I have to agree Mrs Napier sure gets a load of trips when the tuition help and testing help has been cut out so that she and her family can all go on trips to foreign countries. The rpogram needs to stay focused on helping students obtain college hours while in high school and help them with scholarships etc. Maybe they need a new director.

[Home for the Summer]

I have just a few comments about the above.
First of all Brenda Napier has put a lot of hard work into the Booth Scholars Program. Secondly, the scholars are not miserable, and if they are then they aren't taking advantage of the opportunities and are not grateful for what they have been awarded.
The program is not about only being smart; one has to have the personality to go along with the brains. The potential scholars are graded on many different levels and personality is a key factor probably almost equal to their grades. They aren't going to choose just anyone with good grades in the Wayne School System, because lets face it--it is not extremely hard to do. Booth Scholars is not a scholarship program, and it has always been up to the individual scholars as to what scholarships they apply for. It is not the fault of the program if the student does not apply for scholarships or grants.
The program also has a cultural component, thus the trips. Each trip is educationally based, and Mr. Booth loves the idea about the scholars travel: both internationally and in the States. He approves the trips and gives ideas of places he would like for them to visit. Brenda does not just choose where she wants to go or where she will take the scholars--there is a process. As for her family going, yes, her husband does go on trips with her and sometimes her son, but they both do work and supervise students while they are there.
The Booth Scholars program provides a great environment and great people to spend time with and learn from. I know the kids are all bright students with brains, personality, and drive. They were each chosen for good, individual reasons. They are given every opportunity to succeed, and if they have a concern or need help they only have to ask.

[a wayne county parent]

Mr. Booth is not involved with the program at all now and has turned it over to someone ese that determines how the funding works. Granted he funds it but an appearance or a speech would be boost to the program. Brenda does her best, however instead of letting her family go let mentors go or parents who can't affred to pay for these very very expensive trips go with there child and supervise. It just isnt what it was when it started at Mrshall a few years back.

[wayn county parent]

i believe the booth scholars is a great opportunity for these young people, but some of the funding has stopped, they dont take a trip every year like they use to do. and they dont go to marshal each month like they used to do, i believe more of the educational part should come back they kids love it and want to do more educational stuff THEY NEED TO PUT THAT PART BACK IN AND GET MORE FUNDING HAS THEY HAVE CUT PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY IMPORT TO THE PROGRAM

[An actual Booth Scholar]

First off it started at Pikeville College in 2001 not at Marshall. As a former scholar and now mentor I have a great passion for this program and all the doors it has opened for me. Mr. Booth is still very involved with the program and still has a large say as to how the funds are spent. Mr. Booth is a very generous man who doesn't want any recognition for the money he gives to this program as well as many other scholarship programs. He doesn't feel the need to make speeches and parade himself in front of the scholars as other rich people do today in our society.

"The program was focused on education at one time but now I have to agree Mrs Napier sure gets a load of trips when the tuition help and testing help has been cut out so that she and her family can all go on trips to foreign countries."
--- this is not true either as there never was a "tuition help" and the testing help is still very much a part of the summer program with the juniors taking a prep ACT class.

As for the trips I can only say that one of the things Mr. Booth wanted most was for the scholars like myself to see that there is a whole big world outside the borders of Wayne County, WV and that it's a world worth seeing. These trips might be a scholars only chance for overseas travel and you couldn't appreciate that unless you were there when the plane landed and we a new country for the first time. It's something very special and to say that these trips are uneducational is a highly uneducated thing to say. I know that without Mr.Booth and the Booth Scholars Program I would not be where I am today, a college graduate, and I could never say thank you enough to Mr. Booth or Brenda Napier.

[Good intentions]

In my perspective, the Booth Scholars Program in itself, and this is in no regard to the students who participate in the program, is like the roadway to Hell. It’s paved in good intentions and will only end up getting you burned. First of all, the whole idea that the program is to enlighten cultural diversity and promote academic activities is such a loaded mission statement I wonder how anyone hasn’t said anything yet.“It is the goal of the Booth Scholars Program to provide educational opportunities and cultural enrichment activities for academically promising Wayne County students. Selected scholars receive preparation and support to ensure their success in higher education and in today's global society.” Well, I hate to burst your fairy tale bubble, but POP! Taking a bunch of kids overseas is just as culturally enlightening as eating at Hibachi or Taco Bell. Any idiot could look at the Coliseum and think,“OH, HOW PRETTY!” But, to actually go abroad, and do as the Romans do… takes a little more than Mr. Booth’s money. A great author who was challenged to use the word horticulture in a sentence once quoted something that suits Brenda Napier’s idea of how Mr. Booth’s money should be used. Dorothy Parker once said,“You can lead a horticulture, but you cannot make her think.” And, no this is not slandering Ms. Napier in any way shape or form. I am sure she is a lovely woman. The point being, you cannot teach culture by taking expensive trips. Culture is something invited into the soul by the person reflecting on humanity. Furthermore, the Booth Scholars should change its name. There is hardly anything scholarly about it. It should just be, in short, the Wayne County Refining Program. And by the way, if the program spent more time on the educational aspect rather the traveling aspect, then the future of these students will involve a career which makes world travel possible. Why make it a one time possibility? And, if this program was so into helping out children in need of academic inspiration and cultural influences, why would they make it a punishment if you could not go on a trip. I have heard of many instances where kids could not go out of town and were punished either by being let go from the program or losing their pins and so such for graduation. What happens if someone has a dying family member? Wasn’t there even a girl who had to quit because of her mother was terminally ill? How is that justifiable? But, nonetheless the benevolent Mr. Booth will never hear of these remarks, concerns, or suggestions because he is like Charlie off of Charlie’s Angels… he is only a box… or a figment of our imagination. No matter how secluded he wishes to remain, I am almost certain he would like to know how his namesake is being distorted . When I drive by the library he donated in Kenova, I know that it is a place of great information for any man, woman, or child, rich or poor, to learn. But when I hear of the Booth Scholars… all I can think is how these promising students are missing out on some excellent resources for a week in Boston. What is more valuable? The lifetime of money and connections made by the educational resources given as a youth, or the one memory of Rome, and what could have been?

[Wondering]

The application process needs to be changed, I know that most of the kids that are in the program didnt even do their projects themselves. Some didnt even help their parents. It is just a personality contest,and that is a shame because this program is missing out on some very bright children who dont have parents to do their work for them. Children who have the integrity to try to make their own way.

An actual Booth Scholar wrote:

First off it started at Pikeville College in 2001 not at Marshall. As a former scholar and now mentor I have a great passion for this program and all the doors it has opened for me. Mr. Booth is still very involved with the program and still has a large say as to how the funds are spent. Mr. Booth is a very generous man who doesn't want any recognition for the money he gives to this program as well as many other scholarship programs. He doesn't feel the need to make speeches and parade himself in front of the scholars as other rich people do today in our society.
"The program was focused on education at one time but now I have to agree Mrs Napier sure gets a load of trips when the tuition help and testing help has been cut out so that she and her family can all go on trips to foreign countries."
--- this is not true either as there never was a "tuition help" and the testing help is still very much a part of the summer program with the juniors taking a prep ACT class.
As for the trips I can only say that one of the things Mr. Booth wanted most was for the scholars like myself to see that there is a whole big world outside the borders of Wayne County, WV and that it's a world worth seeing. These trips might be a scholars only chance for overseas travel and you couldn't appreciate that unless you were there when the plane landed and we a new country for the first time. It's something very special and to say that these trips are uneducational is a highly uneducated thing to say. I know that without Mr.Booth and the Booth Scholars Program I would not be where I am today, a college graduate, and I could never say thank you enough to Mr. Booth or Brenda Napier.

[seen it all too often]

Youve seen it too? It's developed into a status group, teachers kid collection and their buddies. the selection should be blind, based on achievement, and the project should be discussed to show familiarity with the project, and only then reveal the identity of the applicant. A pipe dream because alas, a program administered by teachers will be administered for teachers.