September 2024 Student and Staff Recognitions

Three ACHS Students Announced as 2025 National Merit® Scholarship Program Semifinalists

Three Alexandria City High School (ACHS) students are 2025 National Merit® Scholarship Program semifinalists. Zachary Baker-Heil, Rayyan Rami and Genevieve A. Watkins are among the more than 16,000 semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

“The ACHS leadership team and School Counseling Department are very pleased to recognize three seniors this year as semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program! Over a million students enter the competition every year, so we are exceptionally happy to recognize our three students for their exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test,” ACHS College & Career Counselors Jessica Gilbert and William Esswein said. “These students are a great example of the hard work and determination that we have seen in our senior class each year at Alexandria City High School.”

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring. About 95% of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship and earn the Merit Scholar® title.

ACHS’ semifinalists expressed their gratitude.

“I’ve been working really hard in school so this feels like it is paying off. I want to thank all my teachers who’ve helped me,” Baker-Heil said.

“It feels amazing to be named a semifinalist. I’m honored to have the opportunity,” Rami said.

And, Watkins added, “I am grateful for this opportunity.”

2025 National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 382,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.

George Washington Middle School Students Celebrated for WIDA Growth

George Washington Middle School (GW) celebrated 164 students who achieved growth on their World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) last year. The students who were honored met progress as defined by the state on their overall WIDA score. This means they made sufficient progress in a score that is a compilation of reading, writing, speaking and listening. This growth is essential for high school and college preparation and workplace readiness.

“Students who grow on the WIDA often grow on the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment for reading, science and math, as mastery of the English language is a huge component of each of these,” Academic Principal Kristin Gullette explained.

All of the students who attained WIDA growth received a certificate. During a presentation on stage, students exiting English Language services were also given a medal as their peers cheered for them. Students who earned a certificate celebrated with music, playing sports, mural painting and making crocodile charms and keychains. Students who presented their certificates to GW staff received a goodie bag. Gullette said one student told her, “I’ve never felt so honored in my whole life!” 

ACPS Addresses Preparing Underrepresented Students for STEM-H Careers at AIM-AHEAD Meeting

During this summer’s AIM-AHEAD Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) addressed the topic of Artificial intelligence (AI) for teachers to improve AI teaching capacity and preparing adolescents in underserved communities for science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health sciences (STEM-H) careers.

At this National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded event, ACPS showcased its health informatics after-school club that aims to prepare underrepresented students for a digitally proficient healthcare workforce, address health disparities, enhance cross-cultural communication and promote health equity. The program expanded to include preparing STEM teachers with 21st century technology professional development training.

“The goal of this project, funded through an NIH pilot program grant, is to improve AI capacity in middle school teachers and expose underserved middle school students to STEM-H,” NIH AIM-AHEAD Program Manager Kelly Brockway explained. Another goal is to expand the AIM-AHEAD after-school program in underserved communities, improving student interest in STEM-H careers.

This pilot program has grown with great success. ACPS now has clubs for four middle schools with 10 full-time science teachers. Student surveys have found high levels of satisfaction with the STEM Club. The program is tracking students who participated to determine what positive impact it may have on rising ninth grade students choosing a STEM career pathway in high school.