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Four Peachtree Corners Students Among those Receiving AP Scholar Recognition at GAC

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AP Program Greater Atlanta Christian

Greater Atlanta Christian’s Academic Program Reaps High Rewards for AP Scholars

Wednesday was College Signing Day and everyone was excited for what the future holds for these students. But are they ready? That is the big question and the motivation behind why Greater Atlanta Christian School invests considerable resources into developing the best AP Program in Atlanta. The Norcross-based school is tied for the top Atlanta private school to have the highest AP pass rate at 84% in 26 AP courses. In the last year, two additional courses have been added bringing the total to 28, the most of any Atlanta private school. That means more opportunity for GAC students to better prepare for the academic challenges that await them.

During this week’s Academic Awards Night, GAC awarded high school students who have performed at the highest level in the AP Program. Over 30 AP Scholars with differing distinctions were recognized. Their performance indicates strong college preparedness, something students are able to achieve before they even begin which gives them a “leg up” on their peers. Scores on the AP exams are used by colleges to determine if they will grant course credit for what the student has already learned.

Says High School Principal Shane Woodward: “These accomplishments are not only indicative of the caliber of students we have but of the quality of our faculty as well. Our teachers’ ability to engage and challenge our students, while equipping them with knowledge of standards that are essential in the Advanced Placement curriculum, is phenomenal. These accomplishments do not just happen. They require careful planning and quality assessment, over time, to understand exactly what students need. Our teachers put a lot of effort into making these scores a possibility for our students and I couldn’t be more grateful for their efforts.”

Among those 33 awarded are:

AP Scholar

Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
Mary Grace Manton (Peachtree Corners)
Navya Sarikonda (Peachtree Corners)
Kaitlyn Williams (Peachtree Corners)
Christopher Barbieri (Lawrenceville)
Ethan George (Lawrenceville)
Catherine Wanning Cheng (Suwanee)
Lillian Clark (Duluth)
Evana Darby (Duluth)
Caroline Lowenstein (Duluth)
Savannah Hill (Braselton)
Summar Hill (Braselton)
Ethan McDonnell (Tucker)
Sofia Nadal  (Monroe)
Julia Nguyen (Doraville)
Spencer Yates (Berkeley Lake)  

AP Scholar with Honor

Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
Sam Collins (Peachtree Corners)
Roy Dixon (Lawrenceville)
Celeste Hosfeld (Suwanee)
Sarah Kester (Duluth)
Christopher Johnson (Berkeley Lake)  

AP Scholar with Distinction

Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
Elise Karinshak (Lawrenceville)
Christine Melley (Lawrenceville)
Pranathi Singareddy (Lawrenceville)
Harry Zhang (Lawrenceville)
Matthew Marino (Suwanee)
Alex Wright (Suwanee)
Eunice Park (Duluth)
Adrian Tomasevic (Duluth)
Nataly Beacham (Winder)
Calvin Dong (Johns Creek)
Hunter McIntosh (Snellville)
Grant Mimms (Alpharetta)  

National AP Scholar

Granted to students in the US who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.
Victoria Huynh (Lilburn). To note, Victoria also earned a perfect score on her AP Government exam, a rare achievement by only 113 of the over 300,000 students who took the exam globally last May.

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Doing Good

Good Samaritan Gwinnett Receives State Authorization to Launch Access Academy 

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Professional woman standing in front of Good Samaritan Health Center signage

Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett (Good Samaritan Gwinnett) has received state authorization from the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC) to officially launch Access Academy, a private, certificate-granting, low-cost postsecondary education program targeting students of low-income and/or minority households who aspire to pursue careers in healthcare but may lack the financial means to attend traditional college programs.   

Access Academy is designed to meet the needs of students from underserved communities, providing healthcare-specific training at a fraction of the cost, thanks to charitable donations and volunteer-based faculty support.

Healthcare worker sterilizing dentistry instruments
photo courtesy of Good Samaritan Gwinnett

Access Academy will initially offer a five-month medical assistant certification program. Graduates of the program will be able to enter the workforce without the burden of student loans, directly benefiting their household income and financial well-being.   

“We are thrilled to launch Access Academy and open the doors of opportunity for those who need it most,” said Shameka Allen, CEO of Good Samaritan Gwinnett. “Our mission has always been to support underserved communities, and now, with Access Academy, we can extend that impact by helping students earn their medical assistant certificates and get their start in healthcare.”  

A history of mentoring and education

Good Samaritan Gwinnett has a rich history of educating undergraduate and graduate students in health sciences. Since 2012, the organization has mentored nearly 450 graduate students pursuing medical and dental professional degrees. The cost of precepting just one midlevel student for an average of 168 hours amounts to $10,038, reflecting the organization’s dedication to training and education.  

Two female healthcare workers standing at their computers
photo courtesy of Good Samaritan Gwinnett

Greg Lang, chief financial officer of Good Samaritan Gwinnett, spearheaded the efforts to secure state authorization and launch Access Academy.   

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see Access Academy come to life after months of planning and preparation,” Lang said. “Access Academy is not just providing training — it’s offering hope, opportunity and the support needed to turn dreams into reality.”  

An ongoing mission

The launch of Access Academy is part of Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s ongoing mission to expand its reach and make healthcare more accessible, both by providing direct patient care and by equipping future healthcare professionals with the skills they need to succeed. Since Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s inception in 2005, more than 52,300 patients have entered the clinic more than 300,000 times. 

For more information about Access Academy, visit them at goodsamgwinnett.org/access-academy or email Greg Lang at Greg.Lang@goodsamgwinnett.org.   

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Education

Pinecrest Academy Named to 2024 AP School Honor Roll

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a school building and green lawn

Pinecrest Academy, a private preK3–12 Catholic school serving north metro Atlanta, has once again been named to the College Board’s Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning Platinum distinction.

The AP® School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while also broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximizing college readiness.

“We are so honored to have received this AP Honor Roll Award, as we strive each year to provide every student with a college preparatory experience, which includes the successful completion of challenging AP courses,” commented Amy Bowman, Pinecrest Academy high school principal. “The Platinum designation from AP speaks to the excellence that our faculty strives for in delivering challenging content that prepares our students for college.”

The numbers

During the 2023-2024 school year, Pinecrest had 89% of seniors taking at least one AP exam during high school, 82% of seniors scoring a three or higher on at least one AP exam and 58% who took five or more AP exams. Twenty-one AP courses were offered, representing 30 sections taught by 12 high school teachers at the school.

“Our Class of 2024 earned a 100% acceptance into the college/university of their choice,” Bowman said. “Since the school’s first graduating class of 2007, Pinecrest’s high school has maintained a 100% graduation rate every year.”

AP School Honor Roll Award

AP Access Award

Pinecrest Academy was also awarded the AP Access Award this year. Schools on the AP School Honor Roll may earn the AP Access Award, which recognizes schools that demonstrate a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework. 

“AP represents an opportunity for students to stand out to colleges, earn college credit and placement and potentially boost their grade point averages,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “The schools have shown that they can expand access to these college-level courses and still drive high performance — they represent the best of our AP program.”

For more information, visit pinecrestacademy.org.

For more about the Advanced Placement® Program, visit ap.collegeboard.org.

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Education

Nine Wesleyan School Seniors Recognized by National Merit Scholarship Corporation

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individual senior photos of nine students

Wesleyan School recently announced that the National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized nine of the school’s seniors.  

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition that recognizes exceptional academic promise demonstrated by a student’s outstanding performance on their junior year PSAT. 

Seniors Will Jamieson, Thomas Markley, Sara Marie Miller, Tecson Wu, and Caroline Yates were named National Merit Semifinalists, an honor that only 1 percent of seniors (approximately 16,000 total) nationwide receive based on their PSAT scores. These seniors will submit essays in the hopes of becoming finalists to earn scholarship money from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Finalists will be announced in February. 

Additionally, seniors Landon Clement, Audrey Cornell, Rachel Oh, and Ellie Simmons were named National Merit Commended students. Approximately 2 percent of seniors nationwide receive this recognition. 

About Wesleyan

Wesleyan School is a Christian, independent K-12 college preparatory school located in Peachtree Corners. At the start of the 2022-2023 school year, Wesleyan enrolled 1,207 students from throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area.

To learn more about the school, visit wesleyanschool.org.

For more information about the National Merit Scholarship, visit nationalmerit.org.

Photos

From top left: Landon Clement, Thomas Markley, Ellie Simmons, Audrey Cornell, Sara Marie Miller, Tecson Wu, Will Jamieson, Rachel Oh and Caroline Yates

Photos courtesy of Wesleyan School; photo credit: Rebekah Smith

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