District 202 New Sets Record for AP Scholars

From Plainfield School District 202:

One hundred thirty four high school graduates and current students have been named 2011 AP Scholars based on their performance on the Advanced Placement exams given during the 2010-2011 school year.

The 134 AP Scholars – including three students who earned the highest Scholar designation -- is the most ever for District 202, and a r.

The news mirrors recent data that show District 202 high school students’ scores rising to their highest levels in at least 10 years on the ACT college entrance exam.

“Our students continue to do well on these important measures of their academic achievement, and we’re proud of their success,” said Glenn Wood, director for high school curriculum and instruction.

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program lets motivated and academically prepared high school students take challenging, college-level courses and get college credit, advanced placement or both for successful performance on the AP Exams.

“This accomplishment really affirms the value of our work in the last several years to challenge all of our students academically, improve access to more rigorous curriculum and support their efforts to push themselves,” Wood said.

As well, Wood said, this year’s list of AP Scholars validates the district’s efforts to increase its AP curriculum, and encourage more District 202 students to both take AP courses and the associated AP exams.

In 2006, District 202 offered only four AP courses. This year District 202 offers 24 AP courses.

Overall, 1,570 students took 2,751 AP courses last school year. The year before, 1,359 students took 2,321 AP courses.

Students do not have to take the AP exams associated with their courses. However, about 51 percent of those enrolled chose to take the exam for their course last school year. That is up from 46 percent the year before. The number of exams taken overall also increased this past year by 31 percent, from 1,069 to 1,401.

“We have really encouraged students to take the exam associated with their AP courses,” Wood said. “Taking the test may help them earn college credit for their subject area, and it helps us make sure we’re teaching the AP courses effectively,” he said.

This year’s results follow major initiatives implemented over the last several years to improve high school achievement, by raising the number of more challenging courses, making it easier for more students to take such courses and eliminating some lower-level classes, among numerous other systemic upgrades.

Last year, 104 District 202 students were named AP Scholars.

This year:  

• 32 Plainfield High School – Central Campus students were named AP Scholars, up from 28 last year;
• 48 Plainfield South High School students were named AP Scholars, up from 37 last year;
• 40 Plainfield North High School students were named AP Scholars, up from 35 last year;
• 14 Plainfield East High School students were named AP Scholars, up from four last year.

The AP Scholar Awards are given at four levels:

• AP Scholars earned at least a 3 (out of a possible five) on three or more AP exams.

o  This year, District 202 had 83 AP Scholars, up from 57 last year.

• AP Scholars with Honor earned an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

o  This year, District 202 had 21 AP Scholars with Honor, down from 27 last year.

• AP Scholars with Distinction earned an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

o   This year, District 202 had 30 AP Scholars with Distinction, up from 20 last year.

• National AP Scholar status is granted to students in the United States who earn an average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.

o   This year, District 202 had three National AP Scholars, two more than last year – PHSCC seniors Ryan Hynes and Mallika Modak, and PSHS senior Christopher Schei.

Highlights from this year’s AP Scholar data:

• Hynes took 14 AP exams, the most among all District 202 students.
• Modak earned the highest average AP score – five out of a possible five – by scoring 5’s on all 10 exams taken.
• PHSCC posted the highest school average score – 3.77 out of a possible five, followed by PNHS (3.68); PEHS (3.62); and PSHS (3.31).

2011 DISTRICT 202 AP SCHOLARS (all students are 2011 graduates, except as indicated. The grade indicated is for the current school year)

PHSCC

AP Scholars:

• Amanda Arneson (senior)
• Zachary Barvian
• Maria Bates
• Allyson Brusich
• Patricia Calma
• Chloe Cummings
• Brandon Emrath (senior)
• Brigid Hanley (senior)
• Madeline Hole
• Anna Mihelich (senior)
• Carlos Ochoa
• Paige Robins (senior)
• Devonae Robinson (senior)
• Logan Rose
• Helaina Rosenmayer (senior)
• Audrey Sauer (senior)
• Tiffany Sulester
• Sara Vihnanek
• Paige Zick

AP Scholar with Honor:

• Zuzanna Binda (senior)
• Carmen Chinchilla
• Chelsea Gathers
• Julian Jankowski (senior)
• Andrew Matejcak
• Emily Obradovich (senior)
• Mark Talsma

AP Scholar with Distinction

• Jacob Bebar
• Isabel Gloria
• Veronica Gloria
• Ryan Hynes
• Mallika Modak
• Stephen Ticsay

National AP Scholar

• Ryan Hynes
• Mallika Modak

PSHS

AP Scholars:

• Sumaita Azam (senior)
• Sean Blazejak
• Mackenzie Blecha
• Michael Blecha
• Marisa Brauer
• Jason Clements
• Erin David
• Rachel Franz
• Kaitlyn Garon
• Matthew Grenier (senior)
• Aileen Hamilton
• David Inda (senior)
• Mark Janociak
• Kelly Jennings
• Amanda Johnston
• Angelina Kregg
• Michael Lopez
• Theodore Marth
• Tanner Mathis (senior)
• Cory McCleave (senior)
• Troy Meehan
• Elizabeth Mikkelsen
• Joseph Mirabelli (senior)
• Kristyn Moore
• Erin Moreno
• Egypt Moyenda (senior)
• Brittany Mytnik
• Chase Paterson (senior)
• Corey Powers
• Paige Powers
• Yahia Rashed (senior)
• Emily Shullaw
• Natasha Smith (senior)
• Keegan Weber (senior)
• Eric Wos

AP Scholar with Honor:

• Jerry Estes (senior)
• Thomas Kodron
• Jonathan Resler
• Michael Santini
• Cortney Sears
• Alexander Smith
• John Strand (senior)
• Cody Tracey

AP Scholar with Distinction

• Victoria Camera
• Alex Fulton
• Eric Hoar (senior)
• Robert Koulakes (junior)
• Christopher Schei

National AP Scholar

• Christopher Schei

PNHS

AP Scholars:

• Justin Cates (senior)
• Samantha Chmara
• Colin Donnally (senior)
• Carl Goshert (senior)
• Mohammad Khan
• Veronika Kondev (senior)
• Eric Lavin (senior)
• John Marsiglio (senior)
• Kerri McGrail
• Genta Mecolli (senior)
• Arielle Mendoza
• Yun Na
• Anna O’Donnell (senior)
• Jennifer O’Neill (senior)
• Christopher Piemonte (senior)
• Alexis Schaefer (senior)
• Andrew Smelser
• Lauren Stevens
• Derick Suss (senior)
• Parth Thakkar
• Michael Vanderwater (senior)
• Iffat Waris (senior)

AP Scholar with Honor:

• Rachel Contos
• Danial Jaleel (senior)
• Grant Kramer (senior)
• Amelia Sisk

AP Scholar with Distinction

• Margaret Black
• Neil Bruyere
• Kyle Chynoweth (senior)
• Margaret Grimaldi
• Alexander Hish (senior)
• Rachel Johnson
• Anthony Margotta (senior)
• Matthew Miller
• Alexandra Osborne
• Jason Phung
• Jonathan Price (junior)
• Desmarie Stewart
• Linzy Wagner
• Justin Zamarripa

PEHS

AP Scholars:

• Ying-heung Chung
• Nichol Deyo (senior)
• Allison Gahafer (senior)
• Danny Lullo
• Charlotte Norman
• Morgan Rizzo
• Michael Simpson

AP Scholar with Honor:

• Andrew Elam (senior)
• James Sheputis (senior)

AP Scholar with Distinction:

• Ben Guilfoyle
• Richard Stewart
• Javier Suarez (senior)
• Margarita Velmozhina
• Daniel Villalobos