06 Sep 2011 Governor to congratulate Conway students

Gov. Mike Beebe will be on hand Thursday morning to congratulate more than 100 Conway High School students who will receive financial incentives for their academic success.

CHS is one of 31 schools in the state participating in the Arkansas Advance Initiative for Math and Science (AAIMS) Program. Funding is provided through a national grant from Exxon.

According to Donna Whiting, supervisor of gifted programs for the Conway district, 137 current junior and seniors and 81 seniors who graduated last year, have earned cash incentives for their grades on Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

Students are eligible to receive $100 for each outstanding score, and some students took up to six tests and earned $600.

“We are delighted that our students have performed so well on AP exams,” said Conway superintendent Dr. Greg Murry. “It is a testament to the great work that our teachers do each and every day in preparing students for both academic success and success in all aspects of their lives. To be recognized as one of the top performing schools in the state on AP exams should give our parents and community great assurance that our public schools are doing well.”

According to Whiting, the governor will be at the Conway campus because of the school’s level of success in only its first year of participation in the program. “Our success rate has been phenomenal,” she said. “We produced the highest number of 3s, 4s and 5s of any school.”

The cash incentives will be presented during an assembly at the high school. Local business, civic and education leaders have been invited to attend. Incentives for those who have graduated will be mailed.

Explaining that AP exams are difficult, Whiting said the students worked really hard. “We expected them to be successful, but they went above and beyond.”