On the morning of Nov. 30, students receiving academic accolades gathered in the Southside to be honored for their achievements and hard work in what is known as the Academic Assembly. The majority of the academic honors addressed came from the Collegeboard Advanced Placement (AP) courses that are offered across various subjects. Recognitions and titles that students could earn included the AP Capstone Diploma, AP Seminar and Research Certificate, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Scholar, AP Student of Excellence, as well as students with qualifying scores on the AP Computer Science A exam who are awarded cash prizes.
To qualify for any of these honors, it is required that students pass (earning a score of 3 or higher) one or more of their respective AP exams given at the end of the school year in May. Honoring these students is important to the administration at Southside due to the tradition of academic excellence that these students are actively working to uphold.
“I believe that what you value you celebrate. When you think about it, we don’t think twice about canceling school or shortening the schedule to go to a pep rally for a football game, volleyball game, or basketball game. But how often do we stop to recognize the academic of our students?” Principal Jeff Prewitt said.
In addition to the AP honors, three students from Southside also earned the great achievement of being a National Merit Semifinalist. This award is based on the scores received on the Collegeboard Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) taken during one’s junior year of high school. These students include seniors Kobe Gonzalez, Serina Huang, and Elizabeth Loe. The semifinalists will look to learn if they are chosen as a National Merit Finalist and given the opportunity to compete for one of the Merit scholarships.
“I was super excited to find out that I was a national merit semifinalist. I felt like all my hard work paid off along with all of the support of my teachers and my parents,” Loe said.
The assembly included words of encouragement from Mr. Prewitt as well as two guest speakers, Fort Smith Mayor George McGill and Arkansas Tech Writer in Residence and bestselling author Eli Cranor. Both speakers congratulated the students on their achievements and encouraged them to look forward to the opportunities that can stem from their dedication in the classroom.
“What I understood from the guest speakers’ speeches was to embrace the many opportunities that are available to me. I realized that there is not just one path available to me in the future, but multiple that I can pursue. I felt inspired to take even more rigorous courses to achieve the most I can,” junior AP Scholar with Honor Lily Phomakay said.
The annual Academic Assembly came to a close with students having the opportunity to pick up their medals and yard signs for their specific awards. Due to the efforts of everyone involved with the event, the great achievements earned by many students at Southside did not go unnoticed. Considering the determination and long hours these scholars put into their studies, it is important to acknowledge their accomplishments and encourage them to continue to strive for academic success.
