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Arcadia Weekly Aug 12, 2015
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– Courtesy Photo
By Ame Hossen
As school is fast approaching, many students are thrown into a completely new environment. High school: a whirlwind of new educational experiences and learning opportunities where an adolescent paves his or her own path and grows into a knowledgeable young adult.
So how is California aiding these teenagers in their growth? According to 2015’s state ranking breakdown, The Golden State’s high school system ranks second in the nation, with 27.2 percent of high schools located in California to possess gold and silver medals.
Each year, every one of the 50 states is evaluated on the level their students perform at on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests. The eligibility of a school is determined by how well the students perform on their statewide tests. The medals are then appropriately awarded to those schools with the greatest performance on the previously mentioned criteria.
California ranked first for having the highest amount of gold medals awarded: 95. Although all states, excluding Alabama and South Dakota received a minimum of one gold or silver, only 34 of the 50 states received a gold medal.
Arcadia High School, located in the San Gabriel Valley, was of the few to receive the prestigious title of a gold medal school. Ranking 432nd nationwide and 89th statewide, AHS is nationally recognized for its prestigious athletic and performing arts programs, as well as its Advanced Placement and Honors courses.
Last year, Arcadia High School had an astounding 31 National Merit Scholars from its school. Among the 3,000 students, one scored a perfect ACT score, and another aced an AP Calculus BC exam, being one out of eleven students to ever do so in the world.
Along with providing students with rigorous academic courses, AHS provides opportunities to join on-campus clubs that provide lessons of leadership, while still participating in academically challenging activities. Some clubs include: Math Team, Quiz Bowl, Robotics Team, Academic Decathlon, Physics Team, and many more.
For more information about Arcadia High School, visit ahs.ausd.net.
