I'd be uncomfortable with her outlook/attitude. It's one thing to acknowledge that life can be very difficult and that sometimes you have to do stuff you'd rather not do --- these lessons are very important. At the same time, I wouldn't encourage the kind of cynicism that sees activities as stepping stones to...more stepping stones. What about the student who didn't get to do this activity because someone took a seat for bragging rights? What if that person really wanted to do it and was very excited about the idea?
IMO, the kind of motivation that comes from being recognized externally is the kind of motivation that dries up when things get tough and/or people have stopped saying "Great job!!" So, what would happen if she finds an activity that promises more bragging rights than the current one? Will she abandon the orchestra in favor of it? Even if she sticks with the orchestra for the year, will her prioritization of bragging rights over internal reward put her at risk for losing interest in a future activity when she's not getting enough praise? Even if she picks her activities appropriately for the stepping stones they provide, what will happen in adulthood if she follows a path for its status, only to discover that it makes her miserable internally? How many adults suffer under that terrible weight?
I'm not making assumptions or accusations here, but rather am providing food for thought.
