Stevenson grads set local records on ACT

Stevenson High School's most recent graduates set in-house records on the ACT college-entrance exam, school officials have announced.

The students in the Lincolnshire school's Class of 2010, who took the test at various times during the 2009-10 term, posted a composite score of 26.2 out of a possible 36, officials said.

It was the first time students broke a composite score of 26 in school history.

The previous best composite score, 25.7, was set in 2007-08 and matched in 2008-09.

The score was far above the state average of 20.7 and the national average of 21.0, Stevenson officials said.

"This is a tremendous accomplishment by an incredible group of students and teachers," District 125 Superintendent Eric Twadell said in a news release. "Reaching a 26 composite score has been a goal of our district for several years, and to finally make it is wonderful."

The ACT includes a multiple-choice section covering math, English, reading and science. An optional writing section measures skill in planning and essay composition.

According to the school, 1,062 graduating seniors at Stevenson took the ACT last school year. Juniors take the test as part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination, too.

The scores students receive the last time they take the test are the ones that count, officials said.

This past school year, Stevenson students set campus records with a 27 average on the math score, a 26.3 in English, a 25.7 in reading and a 25.2 on the science test.

"When you look at these ACT scores ... it's clear that the Class of 2010 was one of the highest achieving groups of students Stevenson has ever had," Twadell said.