Twenty-eight students at North Yarmouth Academy (NYA) have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program (AP) provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the 1.8 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award. NYA offers 13 AP classes.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams. At NYA:

Samuel Kurland ’10 (Cumberland) qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average score of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.

Ten students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are:

• Madeleine Beasley ’10 (Portland)
• Hannah Bewsey ’10 (Yarmouth)
• Phillip Champoux ’10 (North Yarmouth)
• Hilary Gibson ’10 (Freeport)
• Nicholas Kolkin ’11 (Yarmouth)
• Trey Milam ’10 (Woolwich)
• Emily Mitchell ’10 (Yarmouth)
• Samuel Nye ’10 (Old Orchard Beach)
• Maeve Stier ’10 (Cape Elizabeth)
• Christopher Whiting ’10 (Falmouth)

Nine students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are:

• Ethan Allred ’10 (South Freeport)
• Julia Damion ’10 (Falmouth)
• Devon Gamble ’10 (Yarmouth)
• Alicia Hoffman ’11 (Cumberland)
• Turner Kelsey ’10 (Cumberland)
• Matthew Kibler ’11 (Yarmouth)
• Abigail McIvor ’10 (Cape Elizabeth)
• Rebecca McKelvy ’10 (Freeport)
• Katrina Paige ’10 (Brunswick)

Eight students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are:

• Elliot Daniels ’11 (Yarmouth)
• Thu-Trang Ho ’10 (South Portland)
• Congyuan Ji ’11 (Brunswick)
• Jonathan Powers ’10 (Falmouth)
• Jaime Rogers ’10 (West Bath)
• Ashley Salerno ’10 (Brunswick)
• Jenny Sharp ’11 (Harpswell)
• Henry Sterling ’10 (South Freeport)

Typically, nearly 35-45% of NYA graduates earn the distinction of AP Scholar at some level. Of this year’s award recipients at NYA, those in the class of 2011 have one more year in which to complete college-level work and possibly earn a higher-level AP Scholar Award.

Through more than 30 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placement and stand out in the college admissions process. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that the exams are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation’s leading liberal arts and research institutions. More than 3,800 colleges and universities annually receive AP scores. Most four-year colleges in the United States provide credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying exam scores. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher college graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association founded in 1900 whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Among its best-known programs are the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, and the Advanced Placement Program.

North Yarmouth Academy is an independent, college preparatory, coeducational day school serving students in grades five through twelve. NYA is dedicated to fostering integrity, character and intellect in young adults. For more information, please contact NYA at 207-847-5423 or visit our website at http://www2.nya.org/.