Academic Achievers
People view gaining achievements in many ways. Some students get excited over winning the prominent debate, while others are satisfied by getting an A on their calculus test. Out of the 2,700 students at Westmoore, it is hard to notice all the academic achievements made over the past year. That said, the students here excel academically in many ways.
Last spring, seniors Tessa Bedford and Jeffrey Strange had the opportunity of a lifetime. After emailing senators and filling out the required paperwork, the pair could take center stage, presenting bills and acting out a mock session. It was definitely nerve-racking, learning how everything at the capital works and shadowing senators, but I learned how to speak better in front of crowds, and I am very grateful for the opportunity, — Bedford
Bedford and Strange participated in the government with eight other high school students. “Overall, it was a very fun and educational experience. I definitely recommend the Page
program to anyone interested in government,” Strange said.
As the anxiety settles in, the debate begins. Sophomore Cynthia Pham talks about her team qualifying for the debate nationals. This was a significant achievement for the debate team and allowed them to shine and practice teamwork. ”It was awesome to see everyone put so much work and effort into getting to nationals. It felt rewarding for everyone to go,” Pham said.
As Nationals were a big event for them, Pham shared how her team helped one another. “Our mindset during nationals was focus and growth every day. We have members who are originally start with being nervous, but we try just to let them know it’s a safe environment where they are allowed to mess up,” Pham said. She inspired everyone when she spoke about her team, “We don’t compete to brag but rather for the community. The opportunity to get closer to each other is one of the biggest opportunities that this team gives,” Pham said.
As senior year approaches, so do the college applications. Starting their senior year strong, seniors Trip Sheaffer, Bayleigh Myers, Shayla Van, Zachariah Dinh, and Adam Stone have been named National Merit semifinalists for their prestigious academic accomplishments. The national Merit scholarship is a nationwide academic recognition program with more than 1.5 million high school seniors yearly. Less than 1% of the nation’s top PSAT/ NMSQT scores are semifinalists. I felt relieved knowing that a big portion of my college tuition would be paid for, although I didn’t directly prepare for it. Taking the ACT a bunch definitely helped out. — Sheaffer
“Getting the letter was a huge relief, although I did not expect to get chosen at all. I went out of that test room thinking I should have studied,” Myers said. We congratulate our fellow seniors that have been chosen and wish them the best.
