The Reitz Panthers claw their way to the top; of the charts I should say. The English ECA scores from the 2010-2011 school year are in. It has came to Reitz High School’s knowledge that we are are the school to compete with, not only in athletics, but academically as well.

Students that took the English 10 ECA during last school year have given Reitz High the reputation for the top-scoring English ECA exam takers in the city. Out of all EVSC schools, Reitz topped the charts with the outstanding scores due to the hardworking students we have.

Congratulations to our high-reaching students!

Although Reitz is neck and neck with the state percentage passed with a 63% success rate, our school has blown the district percentage right out of their desks. Reitz received news that 68% of students have passed the English ECA compared to the district percentage which is right above 50%. This isn’t all though:

Reitz also received news that 63% passed on the Algebra 1 ECA as well, along with the Biology ECA with a respectable percentage of 47%.

Mrs. Settle, the principal here at Reitz High School, informed me Reitz students achieved the scores they did due to a group effort involving not only English, Biology, and Algebra teachers, but all teachers, faculty, and even parents. All teachers in the school do things in their classes every day to help build skills for the ECA exam such as writing papers, building grammar, and working a math problem each

semester in the class.When asking how Reitz could

improve on math and biology skills, Mrs. Settle agreed that it was an excellent question. I was informed that extra help or tutoring with students will be offered not only in middle schools, but grade schools as well. The county is working on ways to get students home from school when partaking in after school studies.

Mrs. Settle informed me PIN, or Parent Information Night is coming on Wednesday, September 21st. This is Reitz’s first time having this event at the school and it will inform parents on what they can do to help their children succeed better in school along with ECA and other test taking.

After asking Mrs. Settle her opinion on how she thinks future students will handle the pressure when taking this test other students have set such an high standard on, Mrs. Settle responded with, “There is no reason the students shouldn’t handle the test well. There are too many people here to help them. Not only do they have their teachers, they have counselors, social workers, a student support aid, and even a nurse that can assist them with whatever they may need. I do not think the test will be a problem for them.”

This is assurance to all future ECA exam-takers at Reitz that you have the support and help you need to pass this exam. All you need to do is your best. If you have done your best, then there is nothing else you can ask of yourself. All in all, the Mighty Panthers pulled through and showed their bright colors once again.

Reitz High School has yet another goal to achieve, and another standard to live up to, year after year. But with Reitz’s past experience, I see no difficulty doing that.

Two students commended by National Honors

Society

RHS students score well on state ECA exams

By Madalyn West,Staff Writer

By Zoe Grabow,Editor in Chief

Two of Reitz’s seniors, Shelly Stumpf and Jacob Weinzapel, were named “Commended Students” by the National Honors Society this year.

Across the EVSC, only four such awards were distributed: two to North students and two to Reitz students.

These awards are based on scores from the 2008 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Stumpf and Weinzapfel won’t go on in the running for the National Merit Scholarship, but they are still eligible for various special scholarships granted by corporations and businesses on behalf of this commendation.

The four local s tudents honored are among the top five percent of students in the United States of America and were applauded for apparent “exceptional academic promise.”

The National Honors Society brings together a group of teens that show a good work ethic and high achievement levels. Membership is most often extended during students’ junior and senior high school years. NHS has been a highly valued organization since it was founded 90 years ago.

Accord ing to the NHS website and brochure, students must display “outstanding performance in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.” To officially become a National Honors Society member, a student must participate in an induction ceremony.

Hopefully Reitz will see more recognition and representation from the National Honors Society in the near future.

Page 6

October 21,1011

Thorntons celebrates West Side Rivalry

The Mirror

In anticipation for the Rei tz and Mater Dei game, the two West Side Thorntons Gas Stations on Rosenberger and St. Joe convinced their corporate headquarters to sell a high school version of their color changing cups to support the two West Side schools. The two stores or ig inal ly ordered 20,000 of the novelty cups, 10,000 for each school. ‘‘Sales here in the store run to about 50 to 60 sales a day and Reitz cups seem to sell more.” Manager at store on St. Joe, Amy Hugo, said. According to Hugo, the Reitz color changing cups sold out first. A portion of the purchase price of each cup was donated back to schools.

Photo by: Melody Hart