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Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, Al• 35406
October 2011 • Volume 9 • Issue 2
Advisory raises ACT scores Alex Hauser Editor-in-Chief
Students meeting ACT benchmark scores StateNational-
English Benchmark Score-18
Students Meeting all 4 Reading Math Science ACT Benchmark Scores Benchmark score- 21 Benchmark Score-22 Benchmark Score-24
Exam Testing Tips
Every year, hard-working students can be seen bustling through the halls holding numerous ACT practice books of different varieties. They study endlessly for the exam that could make or break their college choices. Last year, our administrators created an advisory class to help students do better on the ACT exam. Scores of 30 and higher rose by 68%. Mary Caitlyn Wilhite, junior, made a 32 after just a few weeks of taking the advisory class. “[The advisory class] definitely helped. Having the time to go through the book every day is great,” she said. This year the program was modified to assist students even more. The new ACT Prep Advisory is scheduled to meet sixteen times before the December ACT test. Students will rotate through four teachers that specialize in the different subjects. “The students were divided into four groups based on currently scheduled math classes. The groups meet with each teacher four times as they prepare them for the math, English, science and reading portions,” Elizabeth Tiley, counselor, said. The advisory schedule is based upon the advisory schedule that the administrators studied from Oak Mountain High School and Carver. “Our school and students will be helped by providing a well-rounded and intense program for ACT preparation that ends two days before the December test,” Isaac Espy, principal said. “We will do it again in January prior to the February test.” Jori Smith, junior, said she likes the new advisory because it gave her time to study during school. “I’m so thankful for this advisory class because I have more time to study. Plus, the teachers who are preparing you will not
let you bomb this test. They understand the seriousness of it, and the fact that getting a high score can open up many doors as far as college goes, so that’s a good thing,” she said. Tiley said she hopes
the advisory gives students the edge they need to be successful on the December ACT. “A few study sessions will not make a huge difference, but if everyone takes what they learn and applies it on the test, and studies on their own time, I think individuals will see a difference in their scores,” she said. “The tools for success are being distributed to our students. It’s up to them to use them.” The goal for the prep class is to serve as a review for students and more adequately prepare them for the test. It appeals to students on every education level. “Some students are being exposed to test material for the first time. This prep class serves to calm fears and give pointers. Others are working on increasing their score whether it is to meet admission or scholarship requirements for universities or post-secondary institutions,” Tiley said. Hillcrest, who recently just passed the national ACT average, has a 9-week ACT prep class. The class is a full length period, and they take a test each day to prepare, as well as go over test-taking tactics. Hillcrest senior, Warner House said that the class helped him achieve his current score of 30 and helped him gain experience and confidence when he walked into the test room. “Having someone there to constantly push you, even if you had reached your goal, is what made the class. You were expected to do better and better until you made a 36,” he said. “And it wasn’t completely about making a 36. It was getting
your goal so you could have options for your own future instead of being forced to go somewhere you didn’t want to go. It made the test more of an advantage than an obstacle.” But, Walter Hall, junior, said that he liked our program as compared to the others. “Ours probably isn’t better, per se. [But] if Hillcrest students want to spend an hour and a half every day taking a prep ACT, go ahead. But we at Northridge will be taking real AP classes that actually prepare you for college level courses,” he said. Although being considered being a high performing school is a great feat, Espy said, the average wasn’t the most important thing to try to raise. “I do not really think that a school’s ACT average is particularly relevant, unless all students take the test, and their scores are averaged. I would like to see our average score drop by about a half a point. That would indicate that more underclassmen are taking the test, learning about their deficiencies and correcting them. I believe that a more relevant indicator of school success is by how many students score 30 or above,” he said. Espy encourages students to start taking the ACT early and often. “Take the test the first time with no pressure. You will learn where your strengths and weaknesses are. If your score hurts our school’s ACT average, then you know I won’t give a rip. What I will give a rip about is putting you in a position to crush the test during your junior year,” he said. Last year we had 32 students score a 30 or above, which was the highest number in West Alabama. We currently have 21 students who have scored above 30. They are all part of the All-Academic team. “[They] wear red shirts with an armadillo on the back. We will add to this prestigious group from the October, December, February, April and June tests,” Espy said. “That’s what I call Smash Mouth testing. Go Jags, baby.”
Espy’ s All-academic team increases in number James Roberts Beat Editor In the middle of the 2010-2011 year, Isaac Espy fashioned the All-Academic Team with the purpose of recognizing students who achieved at least a 30 on the ACT, and it has grown since then by approximately sixty-eight percent. “At the end of the last school year, we had thirty-two students. We now have a total of fifty-two
students.” Members of the team wear an armadillo on their T-shirts. Espy said, the armadillo is “hard on the outside, yet soft and meaty on the inside.”
All Academic Team are Addison Upton, senior, and Steven Givhan, senior. Givan said, the rewards for becoming a member of the team include “a gift of Dr. Espy’s choice,
He said he could not divulge the purpose of the armadillo on the T-shirts because you have to be a member of the team to know. Two students who are on the
some good food, a cool Tshirt and a sense of satisfaction in your heart.” Upton said, whenever ACT scores come back, the All-Academic Team throws parties to in-
duct the new members. “We have cupcakes and refreshments,” Upton said. Upton said she is happy to be a member of the team. “It gives an incentive for people to score a 30 or higher on the ACT. I hope [the team] continues to grow.” Jackie Hudgins, counselor, is one of the four assistants whose job is to set up the meetings after scores arrive. She said finds it ex-
citing when students do well on the ACT. “It shows that we have hard working students, parents and teachers at Northridge who all contribute to our students’ success. We always hope to have more membership on the All-Academic Team.” “We have a number of students with a 29 who will be wearing a red shirt [All Academic Team shirt] soon. Don’t give up,” Espy said. Ti ps compiled by: Alex Hauser Information from: MCT Campus