Two Badin High School graduates were named AP Scholars in another excellent showing by BHS students on Advanced Placement exams given in May.

Cullen Gantenberg and Simon Hoppa were honored with the national recognition, which is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of those exams.

“Cullen and Simon were the co-valedictorians of the Class of 2019, and their academic ability is certainly borne out by their AP performance,” Badin High Principal Brian Pendergest said. “They were academic leaders throughout their years at Badin and were difference-makers throughout the school as well.”

Gantenberg and Hoppa, both graduates of Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School in Liberty Township, are freshmen at Ohio State University.

A total of 33 Badin students were recognized for their performance on the AP exams. Of those, 22 were members of the Class of 2019 and 11 will graduate with the Class of 2020.

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. The students may then earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performances on the exams.

“These are valuable classes that provide rigor in high school and often give students a leg-up in college as well,” Pendergest said. “Our students perform well on the AP tests, which is a credit to their efforts and to the faculty who help prepare them for this success.”

Tests are graded on a five-point scale, with 5 being the highest, and the students who attain a score of 3 or better may receive college credit for the class.

Five BHS students earned the “AP Scholar with Distinction” award by scoring an average of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Gantenberg and Hoppa were on this list, as were three other members of the Class of 2019: Sara Fields (University of Dayton), Andrew Jones (Centre (Ky.) College) and Mary Sabourin (Xavier University).

Eight students qualified as “AP Scholars with Honor” for scoring an average of 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and having a score of 3 or better on four or more of the exams.

Four students are from the Class of 2019 – John Berg (Boston College), Mark Brugger (Xavier University), Allie Kopeck (Miami University), and Mike Rand (University of Alabama). Four more are from the Class of 2020 – Will Giffen, Nathan Hogan, Adam Salek and Caitlin Savage.

Of 20 students who earned recognition as “AP Scholar” by receiving scores of “3” or better on at least three AP exams, 13 were from the Class of 2019 and seven the Class of 2020.

Members of the Class of 2019 included Brady Bauer (Miami University), Anna Bevilacqua (Appalachian State University), Zach Brossart (Xavier University), Ben Cogan (Ohio State University), Aidan Drake (Miami University), Shelby Ernst (Xavier University), Carly Fields (University of Cincinnati), Anthony Hunt (Miami University), Grace Larkin (University of Tennessee), Jackie Luggen (Ohio University), Audrey Neyer (Ohio State), Shawn Osborne (Miami University), and Nick Young (Miami University).

From the Class of 2020 were Lauren Barnhorn, Jack Feenstra, Ben Grime, Ellie King, Lyric Neyer, Sophie Tischler and Emma Wesner.

A total of 135 Badin High School students have earned AP Scholar recognition in the past four years.

“We’re very proud of our students for their AP performance,” Pendergest said. “Badin has an excellent curriculum and our students are taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them as they prepare for the college experience.”