Local student earns perfect score on the ACT

When Sophie Shoemaker texted her mother to tell her she'd achieved a perfect score on her ACT exam, Cherie Shoemaker thought she was one of a few at Camas High School to earn it. "I just replied back in the usual fashion, 'That's amazing!' and 'That's my girl, good job!' thinking she was probably one of five or 10 other students from Camas who got a 36," Cherie said. Then came the official letter from ACT, the college testing organization. "The letter said she achieved something that less than one-tenth of one percent of all test takers achieve," Cherie said. "Wow! That's our Sophie! I'm getting her a T-shirt that says: 'I'm part of the 1/10 of the 1%'" Among test takers in the high school graduating class of 2013, only 1,162 of 1.8 million students earned a composite score of 36, according to the ACT. Sophie will be a senior at Camas High School in the fall. "When I opened the email, I saw the 36 but didn't think that could be my score so I scanned the email to find my score to finally realize I had a perfect score," she said. "(It was) disbelief, but awesome. I was happy because I did study hard for the test and it paid off. I hope it will help open some doors for me when I start applying to schools in the fall." In a letter recognizing this exceptional achievement, ACT CEO Jon Whitmore said: "While test scores are just one of the many criteria that most colleges consider when making admission decisions, your exceptional ACT composite score should prove helpful as you pursue your education and career goals." The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science. Each test is scored on a scale of 1 to 36, and a student's composite score is the average of the four test scores. Some students also take ACT's optional writing test, but the score for that test is reported separately and is not included within the composite score. ACT test scores are accepted by all major U.S. colleges, and exceptional scores of 36 provide colleges with evidence of student readiness for the academic rigors that lie ahead, according to the letter. Sophie's other accomplishments while at CHS include winning first in category for plant sciences at the Washington State Science and Engineering Fair, a first-place finish for "Write-it Do-it" at the national Science Olympiad tournament, first-place in material science at the state Science Olympiad tournament, a Washington State Academy of Sciences Award and qualifying for the International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Ariz. Cherie noted that her daughter has benefitted greatly from the support of friends and family. "We like the saying, 'It takes a village to raise a child.' We are very thankful she has had access to that amazing amount of love and support. We are all very proud of her and look forward to seeing what her future holds."

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