JRGS Press Release
February 2003

AP Scholar Awards

Five students at the Jackson River Governor’s School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level AP Exams.

The College Board's Advanced Placement Program® offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the end-of-course AP Exams. Almost 14 percent of the more than 900,000 high school students in 14,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.

Students took AP Exams in May 2002 after completing Governor’s School courses at the Jackson River Governor’s School which meets on the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College campus, as well as challenging college-level courses at their home high schools. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on the number of year-long courses and exams (or their equivalent semester-long courses and exams). At the Jackson River Governor’s School:

David R., a 2002 graduate of Alleghany High School, qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning 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. David is a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh studying mechanical engineering.

Michael A. and Aaron W., both 2002 graduates of Alleghany High School, qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning 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. Michael is an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia, and Aaron is studying computer science at Virginia Tech.

Josh H., a 2002 graduate of Alleghany High School, and Ann I., a 2002 graduate of Parry McCluer High School, qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations, with grades of 3 or higher. Josh attended Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in the fall and transferred to Virginia Tech in January to study statistics. Ann is a freshman at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Most of the nation's colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement, or both based on successful performance on the AP Exams. Thirty-four AP Exams are offered in a wide variety of subject areas, each consisting of multiple-choice and free-response (essay or problem-solving) questions (except for the Studio Art exam which evaluates students' original artwork).

The College Board is a national nonprofit membership association whose mission is to prepare, inspire, and connect students to college and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 4,200 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves over three million students and their parents, 22,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admission, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT® and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of equity and excellence, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.