A total of 23 students at Veterans Memorial High School (VMHS) have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP (Advanced Placement) exams.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous, college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP exams. About 18 percent of the over one million students worldwide who took AP exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performances of AP exams.

One student qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning a score of at least four on all AP exams taken, and a score of four or higher on eight or more of these exams. Armando Lozano was in the senior class of 2011.

Four students 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 three or higher on five or more of them. Steven Longoria and Armando Lozano are from the class of 2011. Michael Longoria and Mackenzie Sparks are currently seniors at VMHS.

Four students 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 three or higher on four or more of these exams. Omar Gamboa and Kent Warren are from the class of 2011. Orlando Farias and Victoria Trevino are seniors this school year.

Fifteen students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP exams with grades of three or higher. The AP Scholars in the graduating class of 2011 are: Hector Gonzalez, Angela Martinez, Raudel Moreno, Gloria Quintanilla, Dora Rodriguez, Sergio Saenz, Eder Torres, Kandy Valdovinos.  The AP Scholars from the class of 2012 are: Luis Brown, Jessica Buentello, Tevin Luna, Julio Mendez, Kassandra Pena, Katherine Rodriguez.

The number of Mission CISD (Consolidated Independent School District) AP students earning a score of three or higher on AP exams has increased each of the last three years; as has the percentage of total AP students earning a three or higher on their exams.

The College Board has reported research showing that AP students who score a three or higher on AP exams (based on a scale from one to five, with five being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and higher graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to connect students to college and opportunity. Among its best-known programs are the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT, and the AP program.

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