Columbia Falls students doing well

As we begin a new calendar year and are almost to the midway point of the school year, it is a great time to reflect and re-establish our goals. At Columbia Falls High School we are striving to create a culture where challenges are embraced and struggle is a part of growth, a place where academic excellence and achievement are the norm.

Academic dedication has already paid off for two Columbia Falls seniors. Anabel Conger and Colin Norick were recently notified of their acceptance into Stanford University, one of the most difficult colleges in the country in which to gain admittance. The acceptance rate of those applying to Stanford is roughly 4.7 percent. Out of 44,000 high school seniors who applied to Stanford last year, only 2,000 were given a spot. We are proud that two seniors from Columbia Falls have been accepted into such a rigorous system. Colin is also a semifinalist for the prestigious Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation scholarship, one of 1,914 semifinalists selected out of 86,000 applicants nationwide. In the months to come, we anticipate many more scholarships and acceptance letters to prestigious institutions of higher learning for many hard-working seniors.

Academic perseverance was also evident this fall as 90 sophomores and juniors students challenged themselves in taking the The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test or PSAT. One of those students, Kayla McDowall, achieved one of the best scores nationally (99 percentile) and will hopefully qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.

Another group of Columbia Falls students distinguished themselves academically while earning numerous awards at the Model UN competition at the University of Montana. Honors included Outstanding Team, given to the top team in the state. Two of the five Outstanding Senior awards of the competition went to Columbia Falls High School students.

Those participating in lunchtime tutoring sessions with graduation coach Leslie Fant are another example of students willing to move beyond their academic comfort zones. During a recent observation of Ms. Fant’s room during lunch, nearly 40 students were sacrificing important social time in order to receive help and complete assignments. Many more students regularly work extra at lunch, before or after school with numerous teachers each day, making an effort to catch up or to get ahead. As a result, fewer students are failing classes and are setting themselves up for a successful semester report card.

Victories and state championships in competitive extracurricular activities have always been an important part of the Columbia Falls tradition. But high school success is best exemplified through our students receiving college scholarships, letters of acceptance into prestigious universities or entry into skilled job-training programs. And for many whose hard work and perseverance help them overcome adversity and life obstacles, just graduating with a high school diploma is an achievement worthy of celebration. As we begin 2017 we anticipate seeing more academic grit on display at Columbia Falls, resulting in continued growth and success.

As I reflect on 2016 I realize that I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many wonderful students, a dedicated faculty and a caring community. To a great New Year … Proud to be a Wildcat!

Scott Gaiser is the principal of Columbia Falls High School.