Three Natomas High School seniors won coveted AP Scholar Awards recently for exceptional achievement on multiple college-level Advanced Placement exams.
Dylan Chima-Sanchez, 16, took top honors in Nighthawk Nation, winning the “AP Scholar with Distinction” award for students who take at least five AP Exams and score an average of 3.5 or higher out of a maximum 5.
Classmates Beili Huang, 17, and Juan Luna III, 17, captured the “AP Scholar with Honor” award, requiring students to take at least four AP Exams and average a 3.25 score.
All three Nighthawks have their sights set on engineering careers, though Dylan is considering computer science options as well. Dylan and Juan hope to attend UC Berkeley next year, while Beili is looking closely at UC Davis.
Only about one of every five students worldwide who take AP exams win Scholar Awards.
Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher college graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.
Most four-year colleges in the United States provide credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying scores on AP exams.
AP offers about three-dozen college-level courses and exams. Each is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring alignment with rigorous college-level standards.
Natomas High and Natomas Unified School District have been recognized several times in recent years for AP opportunities they offer.
Last year, Natomas High was selected to augment its strong AP lineup into a nationally renowned diploma program, AP Capstone, that will enable students to earn college credits while acquiring key critical thinking and analytical skills valued by America’s top colleges and universities. This year, Natomas High began implementation by offering an AP Seminar course, which will be followed next year by the program’s final linchpin, AP Research.
NUSD was one of only 130 school districts nationwide selected last year by the College Board, which administers AP tests, to the Gaston Caperton Opportunity Honor Roll for creating rigorous academic opportunities for traditionally underrepresented students. NUSD also won national honors in 2013, when it was named an AP Honor Roll District.
