Student offers his test bonus points to classmate in need, Kentucky teacher says

An honor student’s act of “true compassion” touched a Kentucky high school teacher and the tens of thousands of people who have shared the teacher’s now-viral Facebook post.

Winston Lee, a teacher at Letcher County High School in southeast Kentucky, told McClatchy News that a student in his U.S. history class had earned five bonus points on a test, but passed them on to a student with a lesser grade.

“If you could, can you give my bonus points to whoever scores the lowest,” the student wrote on the bottom of his 50-question World War II test, shown in a picture Lee posted on Facebook.

The student is one who is “amazingly engaged” in class and provides “awesome, intelligent input,” Lee told McClatchy News. Still, the teacher was flabbergasted at his student’s request. Lee did not name the student.

“I put nothing beyond this student, but this? This guy wants to give away his bonus points? To any peer? Not even to a friend or specified person of special interest?’” Lee questioned to himself. “He doesn’t even care about what situation may have caused them to score low? How does he know that he doesn’t need them. Most honor students cling to every point possible. How can he be willing to give up his earning?”

The bonus points for the student would have given him a 99, but the teacher honored his request. The bonus points instead went to a student who scored a 58. The bonus gave her a 63 — a passing grade, Lee said.

Lee said the honor student taught a lesson of “true compassion, kindness and love” to his classmate.

“She was grateful for the mystery points and I pray she pays it forward, as is the ultimate lesson of the day,” Lee added.

The teacher’s post on Facebook has been shared more than 62,000 times since Friday. Love What Matters, a publication showcasing “stories of hope, support, compassion, kindness and healing,” also posted it to the tune of nearly 50,000 more shares and people showing their acclaim for the student.

The story was featured on ‘Good Morning America,’ where Lee defended giving the points to another student.

“Not all are great test takers or in a comfortable situation at home that allows them to focus on studying,” Lee told ‘Good Morning America.’ “I feel really great that it helped this student from 58 points to passing. We don’t know what her situation may have been.”

Lee said the student’s action created a positive buzz at the school, which has had recent emergency cancellations because of extreme flooding.