Thomas County Central High School students have distinguished themselves on the 2014 College Board Advanced Placement exams.
Ninety-three Thomas County Central High School (TCCHS) students took 126 College Board Advanced Placement exams over a period of two weeks in May. The exams lasted between three and four hours and are the culminating event of a year of very hard work. Results of the rigorous tests were recently released. School officials are pleased with the results.
“The results from this year’s AP exams validate our system and teachers,” stated Dr. James Rehberg, director of gifted, honors, and accelerated instruction for Thomas County Schools. “We have amazing students who perform at an extremely high academic level. To have the majority of our students earn college credit in a rigorous Advanced Placement course is fantastic.”
Students tested in eleven subject areas including Art History, Music Theory, Studio Art, English Literature, Psychology, United States History, Calculus AB, Statistics, Biology, and Chemistry. All subjects tested featured students making a 3, 4, or 5.
Research indicates that students who score a 3 or higher on an AP Exam typically experience greater academic success in college and are more likely to earn a college degree than non-AP students. Two subjects, Calculus AB and Studio Art, had 100 percent pass rates.
“One of the numbers that quickly jumps out is the number of 5’s our students earned. This year we had a record number of students earn the highest possible score on the AP exams,” Rehberg said.
Eleven students qualified for AP Scholar recognition. Four students are AP Scholars with Distinction meaning they have an average score of 3.5 or higher on all exams and have made a 3, 4, or 5 on at least five exams. Two students were AP Scholars with Honor, indicating a 3.25 average or higher on all exams and at least a 3, 4, or 5 on at least four exams. Finally, five students achieved AP Scholar by posting a 3, 4, or 5 on at least three AP exams.
Principal Trista Jones spoke on the achievements of her students: “We must give credit both to the teachers and the students for their diligence in our AP classes. Much preparation goes into planning rigorous activities which push these students to think critically and creatively. The students must then accept the challenge and raise their level of performance, which they certainly did this year.”
“Building the region’s strongest Advanced Placement program was one of our goals when we launched the rigorous college preparatory MERIT program two years ago,” said Thomas County Schools Superintendent Dr. Dusty Kornegay. “Our goal is not just to have a large number of students take a course with the ‘AP’ label, but to produce students who will post high marks on the exams and earn college credits. We have a growing number of AP courses and are seeing more passing scores each year.”
Thomas County Central High School will add Advanced Placement Physics to its course offering this fall.
In addition to Advanced Placement courses, TCCHS offers several dual enrollment options. Students may earn a general studies Associates of Arts Degree or an Associate’s Degree with an advanced math and science focus through the county school system’s partnership with Bainbridge State College.
Dr. Kornegay added, “Our goal is to offer students more opportunities to excel than they will find anywhere else in the region. Our Advanced Placement and dual enrollment programs help us achieve that objective.”
The Advanced Placement exam, which costs each student $89.00, is an excellent way to earn college credit while exposing the student to rigorous, college-level coursework while still in high school. Also, the College Board will discount any student’s exam who qualifies for assistance, and the state of Georgia pays for one exam for each qualifying student.
Rehberg continued, “Overall, I’m happy we can provide students the opportunity to experience academic rigor and then to see them exceed expectations so convincingly; it’s a great way to experience academic success.”