Middle schools continue push to have more junior scholars

A junior scholar initiative remains a work in progress in Cherokee County middle schools.

The district used private funding last summer to purchase 200 Princeton Review Pocket Prep handheld computers. District administrators hoped the test preparation software program would result in more middle school students becoming junior scholars.

The district had 40 students named junior scholars in 2008, compared to 34 students in 2007.

While this was a modest increase, director of high school programs Page McCraw said several county middle school students scored high enough on the PSAT to qualify as junior scholars in more than one area.

"We saw some increase in the number of students named junior scholars this year," McCraw said. "We did have 11 students who qualified to be junior scholars in two or more areas. Typically, students only qualify as a junior scholar in one area."

Junior scholars receive information from different colleges and invitations to participate in summer academic programs. Students become a junior scholar by being recognized through Duke University's Talent Identification Program or scoring above 50 on the PSAT in verbal, math or writing.

Students attend Junior Scholar Days at each grade level in high school where they can visit different colleges and learn more about the college experience.

The district will use Pocket Prep handheld computers for the second straight year to prepare a new class of junior scholar candidates. Teachers will work with the students primarily in gifted and talented classes.

Middle school students will work with the Pocket Prep devices until they take the PSAT in October, McCraw said. The district will then transfer the devices to high school students to prepare for SAT and ACT college entrance exams.

"We want the Pocket Prep devices in the hands of the students as much as possible," McCraw said. "It will take some time to increase the number of junior scholars to where we would like it to be. This will help promote higher student achievement in high school and eventually increase our pool of potential National Merit Scholars."