Latest news with #WestOrangeHighSchool
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Brevard high schooler takes national computing award for creating AI literacy platform
Could AI help improve literacy among Florida's students? It's a question April Surac, a Cocoa resident and junior at West Orange High School in Orange County, has been exploring with Bookoli, a platform she created to help identify students' reading challenges and help them improve their skills. The program, powered by AI, started as a project for a science fair back in September. Since then, it's grown to include users testing it across 10 schools. And most recently, her creation of the platform made her one of 40 high schoolers to win the national 2025 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award. "When I first heard that I won the award, I was really shocked," April said. "II was really shocked, but also relieved. I was surprised in a good way." With the platform, and her education beyond high school, she hopes to continue addressing students' literacy needs. The idea for the project took root when April noticed the test scores at her school reflected students' low literacy rates. "I know that in my area where I go to school, particularly in my county, 50% of students perform below proficiency in reading, meaning our test scores aren't really good," she said. It was an issue her teachers tried to address: Every week, the students would go to the library and write book reports. But ultimately, she said, the scores didn't improve. That's what inspired her to create Bookoli. Using AI, the platform checks each user's comprehension as they read to develop questions to ask about the book they're reading. "The aim of the platform is to get students to read full books and to also recall book details, develop their comprehension skills and make sure they're staying focused," she said. "We want to make them to feel interested in that book." Right now, the program is being tested among students. Surac hopes eventually to launch it as a mobile app. And the 2025 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award will help her pursue her goals of expanding Bookoli. In March, she attended the award ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her favorite part? Connecting with other honorees. "A lot of them are going to top schools like MIT, and they were just incredible to hear from," she said. "They all did really, really impactful projects, and they were also people of my age and they're female ... so it was just really inspiring to hear and then meeting those people, and as well as executives from companies." The award came with a $500 grant to go toward Bookoli, as well as a Mac computer. April has big dreams: In addition to expanding Bookoli, she wants to major in electrical engineering and neuroscience at a top engineering school, though she isn't sure which one yet. But getting here wasn't easy. Before she won the award, April didn't have her own laptop and had to use the one provided by her school to build Bookoli. Neither of her parents come from a background in technology: Her father is a carpenter, and her mother is a seamstress. And there weren't many people she could rely on in real life to help with her project. It made her anxious about trying to create Bookoli. "I felt like I didn't have enough experience to make something of my own," she said. "I didn't have a team of people. I didn't have a private mentor to teach me coding or to work with me on a project." But through some ingenuity, she found help: She got in touch with another teen online who was able to review her coding. "I asked him certain things about, like, how can I improve my platform?" she said. "And he looked at my code; we actually went on three calls together, and it was really helpful." Her advice for other students in a similar situation is not to wait for mentors to come to you, but rather to seek them out, whether that be at school or through platforms like LinkedIn. "If it's your calling, or if it's something you're really passionate about, you're going to be able to do it," she said, adding that it's important to overcome the fear of reaching out to professionals who might be able to offer advice for a project. "If you don't have mentors around, you can definitely reach toward the internet, which I think is what we take for granted, and you can get that opportunity." Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard teen earns national computing award for AI literacy program
Express Tribune
24-02-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
New Jersey student Sahli Negassi earns perfect 1600 SAT score, scholar candidate
Listen to article Sahli Negassi, a 17-year-old student from West Orange High School in New Jersey, has accomplished an extraordinary achievement: a perfect SAT score. This accomplishment places him among a rare group of fewer than 1,000 students across the United States who reach this milestone each year. Throughout his time at West Orange High, Negassi managed to balance his academic responsibilities with leadership roles in two clubs and active participation in two sports. His path to a perfect SAT score began with a near-perfect 1590, but after reflecting on his performance, he retook the test and achieved a flawless 1600. 'I walked into class and thought, 'I can do better,'' Negassi said. Despite already having an impressive score, he decided to challenge himself further and succeeded. His drive and determination earned him a place as a candidate for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, a prestigious recognition for the nation's most outstanding high school seniors. The SAT is a standardised test assessing college readiness in reading, writing, and math. and the average SAT score in the United States is 1050, according to the College Board, with many students taking the test multiple times to improve their scores. Negassi's achievement, however, is remarkable, especially considering that he achieved a 1600 on his second attempt, relying on self-study through free online resources. 'I didn't have a tutor; it was just me and whatever website I could find,' he explained. His dedication to studying was evident, as he often found time to review SAT materials between his track races. Negassi emphasized that his success on the SAT was not about innate intelligence, but about recognizing patterns, managing time effectively, and consistent practice. Oscar Guerrero, the Principal of West Orange High School, expressed admiration for Negassi's ability to excel in so many areas. 'His SAT achievement is impressive, but what stands out even more is his ability to thrive across various activities,' Guerrero said. A native of New York City, Negassi attributes much of his success to his father, who nurtured his love for learning early on by teaching him to read before he entered school. The unwavering support and sacrifices made by his parents have been instrumental in his achievements. During his time at West Orange High, Negassi joined the math team, eventually becoming president, while also leading the cross-country team as captain, where he set a new 5K record. He is also a member of the school's string ensemble, varsity chess team, and serves as president of the National Honor Society. 'Sahli's achievements serve as an inspiration for our students and demonstrate what can be accomplished through perseverance and dedication,' said Superintendent Hayden Moore in a statement. As the college application season approaches, Negassi hopes to be admitted to Harvard University, his top choice, where he plans to study law. Despite his extraordinary achievements, Negassi remains humble and credits his success to the support of his family, teachers, and friends. 'I don't consider myself a prodigy or anything special,' he said. 'This accomplishment is a collective achievement. When I think of my score, I think of my family and the people who helped me along the way.'
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New Jersey teen get perfect score on SATs
NEW JERSEY (PIX11) — Approximately two million students take the SAT every year. Less than one percent achieve a perfect score. West Orange High School senior Sahli Negassi is among those few hundred. More Local News Negassi, who also runs cross country, compared taking the test to competing in a race. 'When you're on the line, you've already put in the the work,' said Negassi. 'Your body is already as strong as it needs to be. At that point, the race is the easiest part. So I just went into it with that mindset of just trusting myself.' Negassi is also a member of six honor societies, plays the cello, and spent two seasons on the color guard. 'Some days, I would come into school at 7 a.m. and leave at 9 p.m.,' said Negassi. He first took the SATs in May and scored 1530. When he took them again in June, he received a perfect score of 1600. 'I'm not totally convinced, to this day, that there isn't an asterisk that I'm missing in, like, white font,' said Negassi. West Orange High School principal Oscar Guerrero only recently learned about Negassi's achievement and decided it deserved celebration. 'I was shocked and proud and amazed, all at the same time,' said Guerrero. 'What I'm most impressed about is just how well-rounded he is…He's so involved in our community and is truly a culture carrier for our school district in giving back and making this place a better place.' Negassi never took a test prep class but said he studied every day if his schedule allowed it. He plans to use his perfect score to secure at seat at Harvard and eventually become an engineer or a lawyer. He wants to give back, noting that his achievements wouldn't be possible without the help of others. 'I got here because my family supported me,' said Negassi. 'I had teachers who challenged me…I think it's crucial to see it as what *we* are capable of accomplishing.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
