Trigg County Schools officials spent Thursday night in the district’s cafeteria, celebrating the strong efforts of six high school students who recently managed to score a 28 or better on the American College Test.
Better known as the ACT, the comprehensive exam pushes its takers to reach deep for answers in four subjects: 75 questions about English, 60 questions about mathematics, 35 questions around reading and 35 questions in science.
Aurora Ives, Rhett Plymale, David Rivers, Amy Roberts, Xander Slover and Walker Wadlington brought mental mastery to the table, and now have a bright future before them.
Ives is a 17-year-old member for the Class of 2024 who notched a 28. She recently got her acceptance letter into Murray State University, where she hopes to pursue studies in forensic chemistry, crime-scene investigation and drug analysis.
When she’s not in the classroom, she’s focused on another type of target, down the range in archery.
Plymale is a 17-year-old member for the Class of 2024 who snagged a 28, and a 36 in reading. He’s been accepted into the University of Kentucky, where he plans to study history and join the ROTC before serving his country in the U.S. Army.
Inspired by his father, Ashley, and patriotism in general, he figures this is his best fit, and he gave a lot of credit to the Thoroughbred Academy as a key reason he was prepared for the test.
Outside of the school’s walls, weightlifting is a key ingredient to his happiness. And not because of vanity.
Rivers is the youngest of these six, a 16-year-old junior and part of the Class for 2025. He “got at least a 28” on the ACT, but couldn’t remember his score, and hasn’t fully decided what’s next for him — though something in the medical field has piqued his interests because helping people is something he “wants to do.”
That’s okay. He’s got more time to decide.
He’s hoping to do much better in the math section on his next attempt, and in his free time he’s a gamer, where he plays a lot of fast-paced first-person shooters like Team Fortress 2.
Wadlington is a 17-year-old member for the Class of 2024 who snagged a 29, with 33’s in reading and English. He loves to read and write, and he noted God is calling him to ministry, and has been calling him since before his teenage years.
Boyce College in Louisville, as well as Campbellsville, are looking like good options for him — but he’s asking the Lord where his next steps should be. And when he’s not in the classroom, one of the world’s oldest board games — originating in 6th Century AD — serves as a hobby.
Roberts and Slover were not in attendance Thursday evening, due to prior obligations.
Superintendent Bill Thorpe offered a short missive to the students and families, noting the group resides in elite company. That’s especially for 2022, where the country ACT composite was 19.8, and a 28 or higher put students in the 90th percentile up against more than the 1.3 million who took the test.
From this point forward, a plaque with names of those scoring 28 or higher will hang near the high school central office. Thorpe said the hope is to hold this celebration every semester.
