Wait, My High School is Ranked Top in the Nation?

I just came home from a camp this last week and found emails upon emails with one containing a link showing the top 1300 High Schools in the US. Come to find out, East High is ranked #472 on this list. What a shock it was for me to actually find my own high school on this list!
Making such a list not only makes me swell with pride for my school, but also makes me to realize just how good of an education I am getting from East, especially being in the IB program there. According to Newsweek, the schools were ranked by a ratio (that was devised by the man of the name Jay Mathews) that takes the number of AP, IB, and/or Cambridge tests taken by students at the particular school in 2007 and is then divided by the number of graduating seniors. Knowing that East did well enough to make it in the top 50% of this list is amazing!This goes to show also that not only are there smart kids in the IB program, but that those students take AP classes and do well enough to help get East on the list.
I had school pride before I knew this and didn’t think it was possible to have more school spirit, but after finding my own high school on this prestigious list, I couldn’t help but sit here at my computer and smile, having a little celebration. Reading East High on the list made me realize just how important and amazing the education I am getting at East and through the IB program. I am fortunate enough to be at a public school and in such a program as the IB program that cares enough about their students and their education to push them to do well not only in school but also on important tests. Knowing that is what makes my pride spill over!
So for those of you that also found your school amongst the other schools ranked, I hope you reacted in such a way as I did. Because knowing you get an education that’s good enough to be ranked with other schools across the nation is a pretty big deal!