15 of the 34 GISH AP Scholars were recognized at the August 2024 GIPS Board Meeting. Calvin Hubbard, GISH Principal, Hank McFarland, GIPS Board of Education President, and Matt Fisher, GIPS Superintendent, joined the students for a photo, (GIPS, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND — Academic excellence is part of the Islander way. For more than thirty Grand Island Senior High (GISH) students, going above and beyond in the classroom earned them notable recognition.
34 GISH Juniors and Seniors earned AP Scholar status for the 2023-24 school year. The AP Scholars were honored at last night’s GIPS Board of Education Meeting with 15 of the students and their families able to attend.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are a core part of the Academy experience at GISH. With over 40 AP and Dual Credit course offerings throughout the year, Islander students are encouraged to explore elevated academic classes to help prepare them for their next chapter after high school.
AP courses, specifically, are college-level classes offered to prepare students for AP tests, which students may take at the end of the school year to earn college credit. The AP exam is scored on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest score. Usually, a score of 3 or higher is needed to gain college credit.
At GISH, all students who are college bound are encouraged to take at least one AP course in an area of personal strength. These courses cover subjects in greater depth and detail, develop writing skills, problem-solving techniques, and study habits that prepare students for the rigor of college academics.
Throughout the 2023-24 school year, GISH saw success in Dual Credit and AP course enrollments and AP exams. A few highlights include:
- 700 students earned 3,123 dual credits
- 267 students enrolled in AP courses
- 439 total AP exams taken
- 34 AP Scholar students
The 34 honored students received one of three AP Scholar distinctions:
- AP Scholar – 22 students taking three or more AP courses and earning a 3 or higher on the exams.
- AP Scholar with Honor – Four students taking four or more AP courses with an average AP exam score of 3.25.
- AP Scholar with Distinction – Eight students taking at least five AP courses and averaging 3.5 or higher on the AP exams.
With the emphasis on being college, career, and community ready, the Academies of Grand Island Senior High continue to show growth in academic achievement. Mr. Calvin Hubbard, GISH Principal, affirmed the focus.
“We are very proud of our AP Scholars and of our AP program.” Hubbard said, “We are relentless in our efforts to provide access to the most comprehensive Advanced Placement opportunities as possible. We will always be committed to academic success for all students in all our programs.”
The following GISH students earned AP Scholar status for the 2023-24 school year:
AP SCHOLAR
Samuel Acosta Castellanos, Analee Adams, Jacob Albers, Chelsea Betancourt Sanchez, Samuel Brooks, Lauren Brown, John Clark, Max Empfield, Trey Engberg, Ashlyn Favazza, Alex Hernandez Lopez, Noah Javorsky, Marco Jimenez, Carson Jonak, Reid Kelly, Cydney Obermeier, Emily Olmedo Hernandez, Caitlyn O’Neill, Aaron Pardinas, Nery Raymundo, Elizabeth Rush, Annaka Schlachter
AP SCHOLAR WITH HONOR
Sophia Heminger, Thomas Liegl, Olivia Madison, Annika Staab
AP SCHOLAR WITH DISTINCTION
Bode Albers, Easton Brown, Avery Rogers, Ashlyn Ruzicka, Ava Stein, Benjamin Thurston, Elli Ward, Owen Williams
