Last April, every junior at OHS was required by law to take the ACT (American College Test) regardless of whether or not they had signed up in the past or if they were planning on attending college. Recently, the school has seen how they compared to the national average, and the results were surprising.

The ACT is composed of multiple choice questions regarding four subjects: reading comprehension, science, mathematics, and English. Additionally, OHS students were asked to complete the optional writing portion as well. The test is scored on a scale from 1 to 36, with 36 being the best possible score. An average student in the state of Missouri earns a score of 21.7, and nationally, this score is 21.0.

OHS, on the other hand, earned an average score of 23.6.

“I was extremely happy to see our new average!” said principal Mrs. Jan Kellerman. “It is a true testament to the efforts of both our students and staff! The ACT state testing that took place in April last spring involved all juniors, not just those who opted to take the test on their own. Even that average score was much better than I had expected. As a whole group, our students took that test seriously. As a school, we have always performed well. This year was the best score we have ever had as a school. I am very proud of our students and staff.”

Juniors at OHS will continue to take the ACT each April.