By Gary Lloyd
Trussville City Schools Student Support Coordinator Mandi Logan on Monday told the Trussville City Board of Education that 222 gift cards totaling $100 each were distributed last week to Hewitt-Trussville High School students who earned qualifying scores this year on AP exams.
The cards were distributed to the students at the Hewitt-Trussville vs. Gardendale football game Friday.
It was announced in August that 58 Hewitt-Trussville High School students earned the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program Scholar awards in recognition of their achievement on AP exams.
Eight students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more AP exams. Those students were Grace Bruton, Costa Christopoulos, Jerry Fields, Celia Rudd, Brian Russell, Jessica Vaughn, Robert Waldrep and Ginger Woods.
Nine students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more AP exams. Those students were Hannah Allen, William Brown, Madelaine Julbert, Sagar Modi, Luther Owens, Sarah Pate, Syed Raza, Daniel Stubbs and William Waldrep.
There were 41 students that qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP exams with scores of 3 or higher. They were Taylor Allen, Kirk Bednar, Marlie Brasseur, Claire Brien, Scott Buksa, Brittany Collins, Payton Davis, Devante Dawson, Danny Do, Carson Foster, Darby Franklin, Rachel Fuller, Nicole Gallups, Amber Gibson, Connor Grove, Brian Heinzman, Autumn Helton, Eric Hollingsworth, Sallie Latta, Shelby Lucas, Tyler Martin, Carly Mashburn, Jordan Metheny, Ciara Morgan, Charles Musulman, Nicole Newman, Jacob Permar, Paresa Rahimi, Emilee Richards, Austin Seeley, Lauren Silverwood, Gavin Slay, Haley Smith, Connor Staggs, Micah Starnes, William Sugden, Justin Tully, Rachel Vise, Kelley Ward, Sean Williamson and Matt Wood.
Of the award recipients, 22 were sophomores or juniors. AP exams are scored on a 1 through 5 scale, with 5 being the highest score. Research shows that students who score a 3 or higher typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher college graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.
Before A+ College Ready was available to Trussville City Schools in 2011, enrollment in AP courses totaled 187. In 2013, that number was 471. There were 74 qualifying scores in 2011 and 223 in 2013. Trussville City Board of Education member Sid McNeal said opportunities for not just AP enrollment, but success in AP courses, were missed in the past.
“We’re capturing it now,” he said. “That’s a powerful message.”
Logan said her next endeavor is pursuing an AP computer science course that would count as a math credit. She should know something about that possibility soon, she said.
In 2008, A+ College Ready received a .2 million grant from the initiative to establish the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program, which provides extensive teacher training and student support so that students may learn and perform at significantly higher levels in AP math, science and English courses.
Trussville City Schools is nearing the end of the grant it received in 2011 as part of the initiative. Logan said Superintendent Pattie Neill will speak about the end of the grant and future funding sources for AP Scholars at the January Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.