Alexander Lee & Pranav Ghatraju

Editor-in-Chief & Staff Writer

In the wake of the WA memes incident, a serious question has arisen: do students who act in WATA productions deserve varsity letters?

It is a divisive issue, and it is harder and even more personal because many of us have close friends in WATA . However, we at the Ghostwriter have reached a definitive conclusion.

We all ultimately agreed that members of WATA should not receive varsity letters but rather a theater equivalent.

Movie actors don’t receive Olympic Gold Medals. There should without a doubt be recognition for WA’s fine actors, but we at the Ghostwriter think that this praise should be given in a form other than a varsity letter. Because if actors get varsity letters, then what about entrepreneurs in DECA? Or a member of speech and debate? Or a writer for the Ghostwriter for that matter?

We believe that the varsity letter, which incites images of athletic achievement, should be reserved for athletics and athletics alone. At WA, we fully encourage the creation of more awards to recognize the diverse talents in our school. However, that “V” often sewn onto a hefty jacket should remain for athletes alone, not for clubs, which includes WATA.

Again, let us stress that this is not a question of achievement or legitimacy. We praise the fantastic performances that WATA outputs year after year. This whole debate is a matter of semantics and appropriateness.

Yet even with this stance decided, I, as editor-in-chief felt like it wouldn’t to be fair to outright conclude this without at least hearing WATA out. My personal opinion was much more conflicted than the definitive conclusion we as a group had reached. So, we went to WATA’s advisor Michael Towers for his take of the situation.

Towers said that during all thirteen years of WATA’s existence, varsity letters have been given out to students and technical supporters. Furthermore, he adamantly expressed that WATA was not the first non-athletic club to receive varsity credits. In 1980, band members could earn letters. A varsity band musician would have to attend every single football game, be a leader of their section, and have been in the band at least three years in high school. The varsity honor wasn’t just handed out to everyone.

In WATA, in order to earn a varsity letter, a student must fulfill a comparable standard of dedication to the production. He must give at least 150 hours of service to the mainstage production.

Towers spoke passionately about the issue and made it clear that WA’s commendable actors deserved letters. After all, he wasn’t even the first adviser to give Varsity status to a non athlete-based club. So, I understand where he is coming from, and it made my choice all the more difficult.

My personal stance isn’t quite as stern as the Ghostwriter’s overall opinion. I feel as though such a definitive answer to a difficult question is hardly the appropriate approach. I think that there needs to be a greater understanding of each other from both sides.

The athletes need to see it more from the actor’s perspective and vice-versa. Both sides need to acknowledge the fact that it is not an easily determined issue.

It’s even more difficult having many close friends who have performed in Westford Academy Theater Arts. However, I do ultimately agree with the rest of my fellow reporters that WATA should not award varsity letters; there should some sort of equal but opposite alternative.

I’m not saying that WATA’s work is any less legitimate than that of athletics. The Hairy Ape came in first in a state championship just recently. Both factions contribute differently to our school community.

However, perhaps out of respect for tradition or even just for the history of athletics at WA, I think that the varsity letter should be reserved for athletes and athletes alone. Having theater give out letters to students does not lessen the meaning of varsity, but it without a doubt changes its connotations.

I believe we should, in general, be more conservative with the amount of praise we hand out. In an society growing more and more rewarding of participation over achievement, I think that we at WA should preserve the sanctity and traditional conventions that the varsity letter conveys.