FCAT Awards

By Randy Hall

The Alumni Foundation wants to promote academic excellence at Lake Worth High School. In support of that purpose, on August 29 during two lunch periods in the cafeteria, we presented 24 cash awards (ranging from $50-$200) to 11thgrade students based on their FCAT scores. The FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) was given to these students in March 2008 when they were sophomores. Awards were given to the six students with the highest grades in Reading and to six students with the highest grades in Math; we also gave awards to the six students with the most improved grades (vs. their March 2007 test) in Reading and Math. Some students received multiple awards, including one student (Cleston Wyatt), who received two $200 awards (most improved in Reading and most improved in Math).

There are few noiser places than a high school cafeteria at lunchtime. Yet when the awards were given, the din subsided noticeably. As each winner came forward to accept their award, their friends would clap and yell in support. This was the first year for this FCAT Award program. It forms a nice adjunct to our support of Dollars For Scholars and their scholarships, which are targeted at seniors entering college. Based on the results, we definitely plan to conduct this FCAT Award program again in 2009.

FCAT Group Photo

Front row: Lyndsey McCartney, Gigie Antoine, Fabiola Ulysse, Meher Farooq, Dulee Cruz, Abigail Doyle, Christopher Rodriquez, Jose Laguna. Back Row: Randy Hall - Alumni Treasurer, Justin Aldrin, Farah Julceus, Michael Keller, Cleston Wyatt, Masood Mohammed, Bruce Brickleff, Danessa Jerome, Lonnie Mills (Alumni President).
Picture edited and enhanced by Lena Duenas.