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Windsor High School honors Advanced Placement Scholars
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| SCHOLARS — The College Board recently honored 54 students from Windsor High School for passing at least three AP exams last spring. Most graduated last year, but 10 accomplished the feat as juniors and posed for a photo last week. Pictured above: front row (l-r), Kara Boatwright, Jenna Nicholson, Taylor Cross, Angela Lawrence, Hillary Barnes; back row, Matthew Theiss, Marcus Begley, Remy Moens, Jonathan Arent-Draper and Dominic Wiggam. - Photo by Nathan Wright |
by Nathan Wright
Staff Writer
Fifty four Windsor High School students have been named AP Scholars by the College Board this fall in recognition of excellent achievement on last spring’s advanced placement tests.
The Advanced Placement program offers students the opportunity to take college level classes in high school in a myriad of subjects, including English Literature, United States Government, Chemistry and many other subjects. To earn college credit students must pass challenging year-end tests called AP exams.
The College Board annually honors students who pass three or more of these tests—with an average score of three or better—with the title of AP Scholar. The board gives higher honors to students who pass three or more exams with higher scores, including AP Scholar with Honors (3.25 or better) and AP Scholar with Distinction (3.5 or better).
Windsor High School’s 54 winners included 18 AP Scholar with Distinction awards, 15 AP Scholar with Honor awards and 20 AP Scholar awards. Of the 1.7 million students who take the AP worldwide, only 18 percent receive Scholar awards.
“The honors are important because it’s a recognition of the incredibly difficult curriculum these young adults are expected to understand,” said Windsor High School counselor Mindy Burgert. “It takes an incredible time commitment and a maturity of a young adult in a time where there are so many other distractions that could take them aware from their academics.”
Of the 54 winners, 44 graduated last year and have since moved on to colleges and universities across the United States. Burgert invited the remaining 10 honorees—all juniors when they took the tests—to talk a little bit about their plans for next year and to have their photo taken last week.
Jonathan Arent-Draper, 17, is the only one of the 10 who plans on staying in Sonoma County next year. He plans on attending Sonoma State University to study the arts. “I act, I sing, I dance,” he said. “I have interests in everything.”
Marcus Begley, 17, isn’t quite sure if he’ll head down to Southern California or pick an out-of-state school, but he is curious about economics and wants to keep his options open.
Kara Boatwright, 17, has her eyes on Brigham Young University and is considering a degree in the sciences and after, perhaps, medical school.
Taylor Cross, 16, says her first choice is Columbia University but isn’t quite sure what she’ll major in. She is curious about political science.
Angela Lawrence, 17, is looking at UC Santa Barbara and is interested in bio chemistry. “I’d like to work in the genetics world,” she said.
Remy Moens, 17, made his mother proud when he passed AP French without even taking the class. “My mom is French,” he said. “I’ve never taken a French class. I studied on my own.” Moens is keeping his options open, committing only to his plan to attend a four-year university and focus on his general education until a specific major grabs his interest. “I think there are a lot of things I haven’t seen,” he said.
Jenna Nicholson, 17, wants to become a nurse and has her sights set on UCLA or the University of Texas.
Matthew Theiss, 18, hopes to pursue a degree in engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and, long term, is considering a career in mechanical engineering.
Hillary Barnes, 17, says her first choice is UCLA but isn’t quite sure what she’ll end up majoring in. “I don’t have a clear idea but I’ll think of something,” she said with a laugh.
Dominic Wiggam, 17, wants to attend a UC in Southern California and plans on studying the arts.
The Advanced Placement program offers students the opportunity to take college level classes in high school in a myriad of subjects, including English Literature, United States Government, Chemistry and many other subjects. To earn college credit students must pass challenging year-end tests called AP exams.
The College Board annually honors students who pass three or more of these tests—with an average score of three or better—with the title of AP Scholar. The board gives higher honors to students who pass three or more exams with higher scores, including AP Scholar with Honors (3.25 or better) and AP Scholar with Distinction (3.5 or better).
Windsor High School’s 54 winners included 18 AP Scholar with Distinction awards, 15 AP Scholar with Honor awards and 20 AP Scholar awards. Of the 1.7 million students who take the AP worldwide, only 18 percent receive Scholar awards.
“The honors are important because it’s a recognition of the incredibly difficult curriculum these young adults are expected to understand,” said Windsor High School counselor Mindy Burgert. “It takes an incredible time commitment and a maturity of a young adult in a time where there are so many other distractions that could take them aware from their academics.”
Of the 54 winners, 44 graduated last year and have since moved on to colleges and universities across the United States. Burgert invited the remaining 10 honorees—all juniors when they took the tests—to talk a little bit about their plans for next year and to have their photo taken last week.
Jonathan Arent-Draper, 17, is the only one of the 10 who plans on staying in Sonoma County next year. He plans on attending Sonoma State University to study the arts. “I act, I sing, I dance,” he said. “I have interests in everything.”
Marcus Begley, 17, isn’t quite sure if he’ll head down to Southern California or pick an out-of-state school, but he is curious about economics and wants to keep his options open.
Kara Boatwright, 17, has her eyes on Brigham Young University and is considering a degree in the sciences and after, perhaps, medical school.
Taylor Cross, 16, says her first choice is Columbia University but isn’t quite sure what she’ll major in. She is curious about political science.
Angela Lawrence, 17, is looking at UC Santa Barbara and is interested in bio chemistry. “I’d like to work in the genetics world,” she said.
Remy Moens, 17, made his mother proud when he passed AP French without even taking the class. “My mom is French,” he said. “I’ve never taken a French class. I studied on my own.” Moens is keeping his options open, committing only to his plan to attend a four-year university and focus on his general education until a specific major grabs his interest. “I think there are a lot of things I haven’t seen,” he said.
Jenna Nicholson, 17, wants to become a nurse and has her sights set on UCLA or the University of Texas.
Matthew Theiss, 18, hopes to pursue a degree in engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and, long term, is considering a career in mechanical engineering.
Hillary Barnes, 17, says her first choice is UCLA but isn’t quite sure what she’ll end up majoring in. “I don’t have a clear idea but I’ll think of something,” she said with a laugh.
Dominic Wiggam, 17, wants to attend a UC in Southern California and plans on studying the arts.
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