The 41 Jackson Academy students who have scored 29 or above on the ACT are eligible for Mississippi’s Eminent Scholars Grant, a $2,500 per year grant awarded to in-state residents pursuing their first degree at an approved post-secondary institution in Mississippi. Recipients of the grant also must have maintained a high school cumulative grade point average of 3.50 on a 4.0 scale.
“JA is on the leading edge of preparing students for college success,” said Amy Bush, JA college counselor. “Our students are prepared for college and are successful in college.” The school engages students in early college and career awareness, helps students set high aspirations, and ensures that they plan a rigorous Upper School course load.
Counselor and Coordinator of Student Services Paula Pratt said “Three factors play into students’ testing success: their regular classroom course of study; workshops and classes designed for ACT preparation; and JA serving as an ACT testing site.”
“Preparation for college admissions testing starts in the classroom,” said Pratt. “What occurs every day in the classroom is key to students reaching college readiness benchmarks. At JA, regular classroom preparation has proven effective for preparing students.” A college readiness benchmark is a score on each of the subsections (English, math, reading, and science) of the ACT that the ACT, Inc. uses as the minimum score that would predict college success in that area. JA also offers classes and workshops for students who wish to go beyond regular classroom study to advance their scores.
JA takes serving as an official ACT testing site very seriously, so it arranges for qualified proctors and maintains a quiet and orderly testing environment. Pratt says that letting students test in classrooms that are familiar to them in desks that are comfortable for extended testing can make a difference. Students can test at JA at all testing dates except June. Also, students from other schools can test at JA.
Seniors: Parker Alexander, Alexandra Barlow, Lizzie Bowman, Mary Kathryn Brogan, Grace Cartwright, Emily Earle, Chelsea Francois, Grace Herfurth, Alexander Kellett, Abbie Knighton, Milla McCormack, William Mitchell, Micah Morgan, Sahil Patel, Travis Rogers, Alexander Schott, Malon Stratton, Nancy Usey, Caroline Watson, Dray Willson, Burland Young Juniors: Avery Anderson, Sam Ciaccio, Sophie Creath, Lacey Irby, Will Laird, Braden Lewis, Dolph Maxwell, Gracie Meck, Blake Mills, Ali Perkins, Maggie Smith, Bryant Thaxton, Emma Ward, Cameron Welch Sophomores: Ashton Berry, Lucy Clement, Avery Hederman, Columbia Holeman, Brandon Miller, Burkette Moulder
