The Senior Class

The 2016-2017 senior graduating class is likely one of the most academically skilled classes to come through Oak Park High School. This year’s graduating class has more academic accomplishments than we have seen in many years past such as, 17 bright flight award recipients, 43 gold medallion honors diploma recipients, 3 students scoring a 35 on their ACT, and 10 Missouri Scholars Academy qualifiers. These awards have ultimately exhibited these senior’s hard work ethic and dedication to making OP a better place to learn for everyone. By setting an example for the classes coming forth, these seniors have influenced a high number of their peers as more and more students are being enrolled with each coming class. This example not only boosts school-wide spirit in it’s main purpose to promote the learning and success of the community’s youth, but in all school activities including athletics and clubs as well. However, whether or not the school is promoting this to it’s fullest potential is debatable as they seem to be spending more and more on luxuries such as constructional remodeling and athletic coach salaries. The school is giving little to no regard on academic success based on students motivation to learn by implementing attendance based grading programs and tardy policies completely isolated from GPA and performance. The senior’s success this year can be attributed to sheer luck in which many students of high motivation were born and enrolled in the same area at the same time, and can also be compared to other district schools in the area that have comparably less academic achievements.