Latest news with #SealofBiliteracy
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
St. Vrain Valley schools send seniors off with well wishes at graduation ceremonies
Seniors across the St. Vrain Valley School District tossed their caps to the sky and looked toward the future at commencement ceremonies this weekend. On Saturday, the district celebrated its graduates with ceremonies at Longmont, Silver Creek, Skyline, Niwot, Lyons, Mead, Erie and Frederick high schools. The district graduated about 2,300 seniors this year, including 519 who finished with a 4.0 GPA or higher. Around 200 seniors were on track to earn a Seal of Biliteracy, which demonstrates proficiency in English and another language, by graduation this year. At Skyline High in Longmont, the school's athletic field area hosted the ceremony for the class, which included roughly 250 graduates. Family members and loved ones cheered them on from the sidelines while Skyline Principal Anthony Barela addressed the students. Skyline graduates walk over to the field on graduation day Saturday. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer) 'You are capable, prepared and needed in this world,' Barela told the graduates. 'Pursue your goals boldly. Live with purpose, and never stop learning.' Barela congratulated the Skyline class of 2025 for securing over $2.1 million in scholarships. 'You leave behind a legacy of excellence, and I am beyond proud of each and every one of you,' he said. Skyline students were recognized for their involvement in school activities such as the Visual and Performing Arts Academy, and the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program. Assistant Principal Greg Stephens also asked a few graduates to stand and be recognized for enlisting or intending to enlist in the U.S. military. 'Thank you for your commitment and your service,' Stephens told them. In Lyons, a few dozen graduates experienced an intimate ceremony with Lyons Middle Senior High School staff. Each graduate was praised by a faculty member for the unique skills and qualities they brought to the school. The Lyons Lions class of 2025 celebrated graduation at John Johnson Field on Saturday. (Courtesy of Caroline Chutkow / St. Vrain Valley Schools) With the Lyons foothills behind them, the graduates listened as their peers advised them on how to make the most of their futures. 'I firmly believe that every person holds within them millions of passions, and they simply haven't yet discovered them,' student speaker Scarlett Voss said. 'By trying new things and traveling to unfamiliar places, we open our eyes to an entirely new world.' Graduating student Matthew Carter talked about the literal and metaphorical mountains, or challenges, he conquered during his time at Lyons High. 'Life always gives me mountains,' Carter said. 'Whatever you do, just put on your boots and start hiking.' Wyatt Saunders, Lyons High valediction, told his classmates they were able to overcome the hardships of high school — from wildfire to calculus tests — together. 'Because of these challenges, this moment is a testament to our commitment to success,' Saunders said Saturday. 'The challenges we have faced have shaped us, but it is our future that will define us.' CLASS OF 2025 VALEDICTORIANS AND SALUTATORIANS ErieJenna Noble and Avery Spinner, valedictorians; Cloe Pereira, salutatorian FrederickRyan Brown, valedictorian; Sage Mares, salutatorian LaunchED Virtual AcademyDanica Moen, valedictorian; Wynson Easley, salutatorian LongmontJacoby Barber, valedictorian; Anya Wieder, salutatorian LyonsWyatt Saunders, valedictorian; Hadley Larson, salutatorian MeadReese Ormsby, valedictorian; Elena Freed, salutatorian NiwotBenjamin Gabrielson, valedictorian; Mohi Bauer, salutatorian Silver CreekBrooklyn Baum, valedictorian; Lorielle Vincent, salutatorian SkylineNatalie Shaeffer, valedictorian; Eleanor Legg, salutatorian St. Vrain VirtualAidan Dodge, valedictorian; Luca Fowler, salutatorian New MeridianPatricia Melanson, valedictorian; Jonathan Fisenko and Wylie Leigh, salutatorians
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
SLPS senior earns perfect ACT score, full ride to Mizzou
ST. LOUIS – Pierce Rohman is set to graduate from the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, a top-ranked magnet school within St. Louis Public Schools, after achieving a perfect score on the ACT. The Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience is ranked as the second-best high school in Missouri by U.S. News & World Report, making Pierce's accomplishments even more noteworthy. Pierce's journey to a perfect ACT score was not immediate; he improved from a 34 to a 35 before finally reaching a 36 after dedicated studying. Pierce's success has earned him the University of Missouri's 'Perfect Score Scholarship,' which covers tuition, housing, and study abroad opportunities. 'I think the Perfect Score Scholarship that I'm getting is huge. It's gonna have such a huge impact on my family's ability to put money towards other things we need,' Rohman said. Rohman plans to study political science and economics at the University of Missouri, with aspirations to intern in Washington, D.C., during his college years. His principal, Frederick Steele, says Pierce's success comes down to consistency and character. Missouri Highway Patrol reopens probe into Crocker overdose death 'I think resilience, definitely, you could learn from Pierce,' Steele said. 'Commitment to what you're most interested in – and enduring the things you're not as interested in – but still being quite successful. He's no stranger to hard work. He doesn't run from the workload itself, and he's so articulate and deliberate in his thinking.' Pierce is set to graduate on Sunday, May 18, with a 4.2 GPA and national honors in academics, speech and debate, along with the Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. Pierce Rohman's achievements at Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience highlight his dedication and resilience, setting a strong foundation for his future endeavors in college and beyond. All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii's college and career readiness indicators demonstrate mixed trends
The latest College and Career Readiness Indicators Summary Report provides insight into the readiness of Hawaii high school graduates for higher education and careers. The report, released last week by Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, presents both progress and concerns, tracking key metrics such as graduation rates, standardized testing performance, dual credit participation and college enrollment. Based on data from the state Department of Education and the University of Hawaii, the report details the outcomes of 11, 613 students across 67 public schools, including public charter schools. Private school students in Hawaii are excluded from the report. The class of 2024 maintained an on-time graduation rate of 86 %, tying with the class of 2023 for the highest recorded rate. Among the graduates, 34 % earned honors diplomas, marking the highest percentage in five years. Additionally, Career and Technical Education honors increased to 22 % for the class of 2024 from 15 % for the class of 2020. The proportion of students earning any type of diploma with honors rose to 34 % in 2024 from 29 % in 2020. CTE programs equip students with skills for workforce entry or further occupational training, and the most common CTE pathways for the class of 2024 were Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation (23 %); Cultural Arts, Media and Entertainment (20 %); and Health Services (17 %), reflecting key industries in Hawaii's economy. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Graduates earning the Seal of Biliteracy—a recognition for proficiency in two or more languages—increased to 598 from 557 for the class of 2023. Despite gains in some areas, standardized test performance declined. The percentage of students meeting the ACT college readiness benchmark dropped in English—36 % in 2024 from 41 % in 2022 ; mathematics—16 % from 21 %; and science—17 % from 22 %. Participation in the Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Math also decreased. However, improvements were observed in Advanced Placement and Dual Credit participation. The proportion of students scoring three or higher on an AP exam rose to 18 %, the highest in five years. Dual Credit course completion increased to 27 % from 24 % within a year, with a corresponding 3 % rise in students entering UH with college-level English and math credits earned in high school. Hawaii's overall nationwide college enrollment rate for the class of 2024 increased slightly to 52 % from 51 %. The share of graduates enrolling at a UH campus grew to 34 % from 31 %, with UH two-year campus enrollment reaching 19 %—the highest level since 2020. 'The increase in college enrollment at the UH Community Colleges highlights the growing impact of our strengthened career pathways between HIDOE high schools and our seven community college campuses, ' said Della Teraoka, interim vice president for the UHCCs. 'With UH two-year enrollment on the rise and four-year enrollment reaching record levels, these collaborative efforts are creating more opportunities for students to pursue higher education and succeed right here at home.' Some Hawaii high schools saw improvements in key areas, like Keaau High School, which recorded increases in AP and Dual Credit participation. The percentage of students scoring three or higher on AP exams rose to 21 % from 9 %, while Dual Credit participation grew to 22 % from 10 %. The number of CTE concentrators at Keaau increased to 58 % from 55 %. Keaau students also showed gains in college-level coursework, with enrollment in college-level math rising to 47 % from 43 % and college-level English increasing to 49 % from 40 %. 'Our students have made great strides in a variety of areas in a short amount of time, ' Dean Cevallos, principal of Keaau High School, said in a statement. 'With the expansion of pathways and programs of study across the state, and particularly on Hawaii Island, it is exciting to see our students excel in courses that earn them college credit and continue through the pipeline and attend UH campuses.' The CCRI report is produced annually by Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, in collaboration with the state Department of Education and UH. It provides key insights into how Hawaii's high school graduates transition into higher education and careers. 'We're seeing the results of our efforts to expand access to rigorous coursework, career pathways and college opportunities across all schools, ' state schools Superintendent Keith Haya shi said. 'These outcomes demonstrate what's possible when we align K-12 education with students' futures. At the same time, we recognize the ongoing challenges in academic readiness and are continuing to invest in early interventions, targeted support and aligned pathways to ensure students are prepared for success after high school.' While some indicators show improvement, concerns about academic readiness, particularly in mathematics, persist. 'Although college-going data from the Class of 2024 demonstrates a turnaround from previous years, there are reasons for concern with academic readiness, especially in math, ' Executive Director of Hawaii P-20 Stephen Schatz said. 'Math readiness is key across various industries, whether students aspire to be doctors, welders, auto mechanics, nurses, or teachers.'
