The Scholarship Jacket

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The scholarship jacket is a gold and green jacket awarded every year during eighth grade graduation to the class valedictorian. It has a big gold S on the front and the winner’s name on the pocket.

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Martha expects to win it because she is fourteen, in the eighth grade, and has been a straight A student since first grade. Her sister Rosie had won it earlier, so Martha feels it is her turn.

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Martha is the first-person narrator and the protagonist of the story. She is a Mexican girl, fourteen years old, studying in the eighth grade at a small Texas school.

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Her father was a farm labourer who could not afford to feed eight children, so Martha was sent to live with her grandparents at age six.

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The school makes a new rule that the jacket now costs fifteen dollars. Martha cannot pay, and the jacket may go to the next student in line if the money is not paid.

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Mr Schmidt, Martha’s history teacher, defends her strongly. He says her grades are far better than Joann’s and refuses to support unfair treatment.

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Mr Boone, Martha’s maths teacher, suggests calling it a close tie so Joann can get the jacket. He does this because Joann’s father is on the Board and owns the only store in town.

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Joann is the other student connected to the jacket issue. Her importance comes from her father’s influence on the school Board and his ownership of the only store in town.