Seniors’ scholarship tally tips $46 million
The class of 2011 earned a grand total of $46.8 million in scholarships, an increase of $5.7 million from the previous year.
Fort Myers High School students earned the most in scholarships at $11.7 million, an increase of $2.1 million from 2010.
Cape Coral High School students earned $5 million in scholarships; Ida Baker High School, $1.9 million; Island Coast High School, $4.7 million; and Mariner High School, $3.7 million.
Jane Kuckel, school board member, said the amount of scholarships earned is a reflection of what the teachers are doing in the classroom. She said the district has diversified its curriculum to meet the needs of high and lower achieving students.
The school district has worked hard to really address the Sunshine State Standards, along with channeling more students into higher level classes, which has reflected in the number of students actually taking those classes, Kuckel said.
With the increase of scholarships awarded, they are now seeing it from an academic and achievement angle as well.
“We continuously seek to be better, and we take the feedback from students, teachers and communities,” Kuckel said. “I would wager that next year we will have even more scholarships.”
Other high schools in the school district also earned a great deal of money in scholarships. Cypress Lake High School students earned $3.7 million in scholarships; Dunbar High School, $185,120; Estero High School, $1.9 million; East Lee County High School, $1.5 million; Lehigh Senior High School, $1 million; North Fort Myers High School, $2 million; Riverdale High School, $5.4 million and South Fort Myers High School, $3.9 million.
The school district also took a poll of how many students were furthering their education after high school. Of the students who responded 2,002 will attend a Florida public college or university, 299 will attend an out-of-state college or university, 240 will attend a Florida private college or university, 659 will attend a Florida public community college and 44 will attend an out-of-state community college.
Kuckel said the students also benefit from their high schools offering career-related opportunities because colleges notice that they are already taking classes in a particular career area.
Members of the class of 2011 also will attend Florida technical or trade schools with 274 students, and 44 will attend an out-of-state technical or trade school. Two hundred and forty five students will enter the military.