Seven graduating seniors from Manhattan High School were recognized recently for outstanding performance on the ACT Assessment. The students received Kansas ACT Scholar certificates from the Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Board of Regents for achieving a composite score of 32 or above on the exam. The highest possible score on the exam is 36.

A composite score of 32 places the students in the 99th percentile at both the state and national level. That means they scored as well or better than 99 percent of the students participating in the exam.

The ACT is a college entrance exam and is often used to gauge Kansas students’ performance against those from other states in the nation. Traditionally, Kansas’ student’s composite scores top national averages on the ACT, despite the fact that more than 78 percent of Kansas graduating seniors participate in the exam, as compared to 38 percent nationally.

In Kansas, 524 graduating seniors received recognition. Students from Manhattan High School receiving the award are Michael Higgins, Sheena Nagaraja, Mark Palet, Eric Pritz, Travis Rogers, Travis Warner and Slava Zakjerski.

This is the first year the Kansas ACT scholar award has been available. Students received certificates signed by the Kansas Education Commissioner Andy Tompkins and Kansas Board of Regents President and CEO Dr. Kim Wilcox.