Eight Pasadena High School students received the “Texas Student Achievement Award” from the Texas ACT Council for their performance on the PLAN (Pre-ACT) Assessment. These students are on target to meet or exceed ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks by graduation.

The Pasadena High School students honored were Crysal Suarez, Magie Annab, Denise Gonzalez, Omar Rodriguez, Vicente Garza, Humayn Jafar, Adrian Hernandez and John Carinhas. The students took the assessment as sophomores last year.

ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks are empirically-based and identify the level of achievement necessary in English, mathematics, reading and science to have a successful college freshman experience. Only 17 percent of Texas PLAN tested students received this award for this level of proficiency.

The Texas ACT Council is made up of secondary and postsecondary educators who advise ACT, Inc. on the utilization of ACT programs and services in Texas schools and colleges. ACT, Inc. is the not-for-profit organization that provides assessment, research, information and program management services in the broad areas of education and workforce development and the publisher of the ACT Assessment. The ACT Assessment is the college admissions test that is accepted by all colleges nationwide.

According to Karen Pennell, ACT Assistant Vice President and Southwest Regional Manager, “The Texas ACT Council recognizes those students who are making significant strides to prepare themselves for college by taking rigorous courses and meeting the PLAN (Pre-ACT) College Readiness Benchmarks. We also want to recognize that student PLAN (Pre-ACT) achievement is the result of a strong commitment by Pasasdena High School teachers, staff, administrators and parents to increase college readiness for all students.”