You might’ve heard some buzz about a new currency system at Cardozo, with some people dismissively describing it as a high school ‘gold star system,’ while others referring to it as an innovative way to reward good students—they’re Dozo Dollars!
First officially making its appearance around the middle of the spring semester, Cardozo staff have been well-informed about the currency for quite some time. Students, however, are not as informed, with most students completely oblivious to its existence to begin with.
What are Dozo Dollars? Where are they? What’s the point?
Dozo Dollars are a part of a point-system where teachers and staff members reward students for exemplifying qualities of H.E.R.O (Humanity, Excellence, Responsibility, and Ownership). Points can be both deducted and added to a student’s balance, and are accessed digitally. These points can be “cashed out” and be exchanged for various prizes, which range from Free S.O Store Purchase Vouchers (25 Dozo Dollars) to being a Dean for a Day (100 Dozo Dollars).
Students may see posters of both the Dozo Dollars rubric and the full award sheet around the hallways, which list both requirements for point eligibility and the possible things the Dozo Dollars can be exchanged for. Cardozo staff who see good behavior are encouraged to reward students with anywhere between 1 to 6 Dozo Dollars, but are also encouraged to take points away if students are witnessed to be misbehaving.
Although this system can be seen as a step toward positive change for Cardozo, many people have mixed opinions on it, with one of the major criticism being how unnoticed the implementation of the system was. “I know literally nothing about this,” stated Brendan Lin, a Cardozo junior, “I just heard you can buy IDs from it.”
“That’s basically the gold stars you get in first grade,” said a different junior, who preferred to remain anonymous. “Having a physical prize as an incentive to help out and be a better ‘hero’ is forcing it. Plus, it’s dishonest since some people only go out of their way to be ‘heroes’ just to get points.” The student also stated that he felt it was a very bias system overall.
Many “heroic” actions go may go unnoticed, and those who are on friendly terms with staff tend to have an advantage when it comes to accumulating points. When asked if he believed that the system can improve the school’s safety, he stated that he didn’t think so. “Bad kids are just gonna be bad kids, even if you reward good behavior. People get punished all the time but that doesn’t really stop people from staying out of trouble.”
In general, there is very little information about the Dozo Dollars for students. While some people have heard about the system, many teachers are not on the same page regarding it currently. As of right now, it’s a forgettable system that very few staff members would actually engage in, but perhaps that’ll change once Dozo Dollars officially become a more prevalent part of our lives. Who knows, maybe even you’d have a chance at earning them.
