Fourteen students or recent graduates from La Porte High School have earned Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams.

The College Board's Advanced Placement Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school and to earn college credit, advanced placement or both for successful performance on the AP Exams.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students' performance on AP Exams.

Lauren Rigsby qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Justin Chelette and Kellie Roop qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of the exams.

Eleven students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. AP Scholars are Chelsea Bethancourt, Mayuri Bhakta, Erika Cordova, Austin Crager, Gabriel Fuentes, Hayden Hernandez, John Lawler, Nicole Lea, Steven Reiss, Jack Swearingen and Richard Walls.

Of this year's award recipients at LPHS, Mayuri Bhakta and Jack Swearingen were both juniors, having another year in which to complete college-level work and possibly earn a higher-level AP Scholar Award.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,400 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment and teaching and learning.