Want More? Here It Is
Getting the most out of high school means doing more than brown-bagging it in the quad Monday through Friday.
There are competitions in which students practice the smooth law moves picked up from “The Practice” or “Ally McBeal.”
There are groups, such as the Key Club, that make neighborhoods better places. And, of course, there are tests that rake in recognition, glory and awards.
Here’s a list of some of the ways that the Class of ’00 got involved:
* Academic competitions: Academic Decathlon, Junior Statesmen of America, Kiwanis Bowl, Knowledge Master Open, Quiz Bowl, Scholar Bowl, Science Olympiad.
* Academic letter: Award for top academic students, the equivalent of a letter in sports.
* ACT: American College Test, accepted by most colleges and universities as comparable to the SAT.
* Advanced Placement scholar: A senior who has completed three or more advanced-placement (college-level) courses and passed the course exams.
* Book awards: Given to top academic students, usually juniors, by leading universities such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale. The award is an elaborately bound book, such as a Shakespeare anthology, and sometimes a scholarship.
* Boys’ and Girls’ State: American Legion program in which two juniors--a boy and a girl--from each high school gather to conduct a mock state government.
* California Distinguished School: Title awarded by state Department of Education to schools that meet elevated overall standards.
* California Scholarship Federation: Honorary scholarship society. Members must have high grades in specified courses.
* Digital High School Education Technology grant: State program to provide campus Internet access, computers, software and staff training.
* Golden State exams: Voluntary standardized exams to demonstrate high levels of achievement in specific subjects. Used mostly to enhance student applications to universities.
* Grade-point average: The average of a student’s grades; an A counts as four points, an F as zero.
* Grade-point average (weighted): Same as grade-point average except grades in honors or advanced-placement classes are given more points, such as five for an A. Varies by school.
* Honor roll: A school’s list of top academic students.
* Interact Club: High school service club sponsored by the Rotary International.
* International Baccalaureate: Prestigious honors program offered by schools that meet internationally established criteria.
* Key Club: High school service club sponsored by Kiwanis International.
* Math, Engineering and Science Assn.: State-funded outreach program to attract minorities to math and science fields.
* Mock Trial: Local and statewide competition in which schools enter 20-student teams to conduct mock trials in courtrooms before actual judges.
* Model United Nations: Popular curricular and extracurricular program whose students compete locally and internationally by representing nations in mock U.N. sessions.
* National Blue Ribbon school: Nationwide version of California Distinguished School program.
* National Honor Society: Nationwide version of California Scholarship Federation.
* National Merit Scholarship: Prestigious award based entirely on SAT scores. Semifinalists are students who place among the top 0.5% in tests taken during their junior year.
* Presidential scholar: An award established by presidential order to honor graduating seniors on the basis of “academic and artistic success, leadership and service in school and the community.”
* SAT I: Scholastic Assessment Test. The test of reasoning skills administered by the College Board and used by many colleges and universities to help evaluate students who have applied for admission. Test is in two sections, math and verbal.
* SAT II: Additional SAT exams on specific subjects. Required by some colleges and universities, including the UC system.
* Seal bearer: Award for members of the California Scholastic Federation for four of their final six semesters in high school.
* Western Assn. of Secondary Schools and Colleges: Organization that appraises and accredits high schools.
* “Who’s Who Among American High School Students”: A privately published directory.
