4 Jan 2005
</>Highest Recognition in State Presented to Parents of Frederick Wulff, 2004 Graduate
DALLAS–Dallas Independent School District Interim Superintendent Larry D. Groppel saluted 380 of the district's highest achievers in the National Merit and Advanced Placement programs at the Superintendent's Academic Scholars Reception, Tuesday, Jan. 4, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.
Groppel commended the growth of the Advanced Placement program in the DISD. "We are proud that the number of AP exams taken by students districtwide in 2004 increased by 17.2 percent over the previous year, from 6,528 in the 2002-2003 school year to 7,656 in the 2003-2004 school year." Scholars designated for recognition increased from 297 in 2003 to 380 in 2004.
Chauncey Veatch, 2002 National Teacher of the Year, urged students to dream big, and thanked parents for supporting students. "Every child is a gift; and I am so grateful to their parents for sharing that gift with me," said Veatch.
According to the College Board, the DISD's School for the Talented and Gifted and the School of Science and Engineering are the top two schools in the state when measuring the number of AP exams passed versus school enrollment. In addition, the School of Science and Engineering is the number one school in the country for the number of African American and Hispanic students passing AP calculus.
Frederick Wulff was named the Texas Advanced Placement State Scholar, an award granted to one male and one female with the highest grade on all AP exams and the greatest number of exams in each state and the District of Columbia. Wulff, a 2004 graduate of the School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center, currently attends Stanford University. He completed 18 AP courses scoring four or above on each one. His parents, Bart and Bonnie Wulff, accepted the award on his behalf.
Wulff, Jonathan Bernauer, Mariya Nikiforova and Joshua Schonborn (all of TAG), and Natalie Weber and Teresa Whinery (both of the Science and Engineering Magnet), each earned the title of National AP Scholar. This award is granted to students in the United States who receive an average grade of at least four on all AP exams taken, and grades of four or higher on eight or more of these exams.
Yet another 58 students earned the title of AP Scholar with Distinction, which is granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and grades of three or higher on five or more of these exams.
The AP Scholar Award was earned by 202 students who completed three or more AP examinations and received grades of three or higher. Another 46 qualified for the title of AP Scholar with Honor, which is granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and grades of three or higher on four or more of these exams.
The College Board's Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP exams.
More than a million high school students in nearly 15,000 schools worldwide took the AP exams. Only 17 percent of them were named AP Scholars.
The evening's honorees also included 54 individuals recognized in the National Merit programs, four of whom were named National Merit Semifinalists: Richard A Gelhausen (W.T.White), and Kimberly A Hoffman, Joshua Schonborn and Michael O. Simpson (all of TAG).