Hall column: America’s future, come on down!

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009

By Abigail Hall
For the Salisbury Post
These are not the best of times for those who want to embark upon a higher education.
Everybody, it seems, has run out of money. That includes banks, the government and our parents. So what’s a voracious young mind to do when the price of an education keeps going up and the chance of acquiring a loan keeps going down?
Here’s a suggestion. It won’t fix the problem for everybody, but each student counts, right?
Until now, students might have believed the only way to earn money for college was to study hard and qualify for as many scholarships as possible. Now it’s time for a new method ó one that has been right in front of our faces for decades.
Students, it’s time to take over as the exclusive contestants of television game shows. They never seem to run out of money, and they need to be reformed for the good of the people.
Audiences could watch the dreams of young people become realized as they play along with “Who Wants to be a College Student” and “The Tuition is Right.”
Success as a student requires a variety of personality traits, including an enthusiasm to succeed, a willingness to take risks and the ability to memorize information that is often quite useless.
It so happens that these same qualities are expected of game show contestants.
In these trying times, we must turn to the upcoming generation. Audiences have seen enough of those middle-aged adults who intend to spend their prize monies on a first-class vacation to Bermuda. Bring in the struggling students.
The networks can save themselves some money by offering a full college tuition as a prize. Forget the wads of cash and shiny new sports cars. Behind door number one is enough for a private college. Door number two ó a state school. Win the bonus round, and the student gets free textbooks and a used ’96 Honda Civic to drive to campus.
Aspiring minds of all skill levels and abilities can apply. “Jeopardy!” may be the best choice for some, while others may be more well-suited for that game where you have to mold your body into a certain shape carved in the wall that’s coming toward you so that you can fit through the hole. The important thing is that we give motivated students a chance to prove their worth.
After we’ve conquered game shows, I have some great ideas for reality television. Television networks: change your ways! It’s time to start paying for America’s future so it won’t end up having to pay for the past.
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Abigail Hall lives and works in Salisbury while saving up for graduate school. Contact her at mailabigail@gmail.com.