The A+ program was started to keep high school students motivated to pursue higher education while they’re attending school. If students stay on track they earn a major reward- two free years of college.

Students have to meet several strict requirements before they can get credit. To stay involved in the A+ program, students must keep their GPA above a 2.5. In addition students can only miss up to eight days a years with a 95% attendance rate.

A+ also requires students to maintain good citizenship throughout all four years of high school. This means no more than 5 days of suspension, staying away from drugs and alcohol, respectful behavior, and few tardies. On top of all their requirements students also have to contribute 50 hours of volunteer work.

Many students choose to spend those hours working with a teacher at Battle and helping them out with their kids. Students also have the option to go to an elementary school and tutor younger kids.

Several students at Battle even went on a camping trip with seventh graders. They set up activities for the kids and stayed the nights in cabins. The students thought it was a unique experience and found out they have a lot more in common with the 7th graders then they thought. Even if a student isn’t the outside type there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in a class they are interested in.

Of course our senior students are the most excited about the A+ program because their hard work is about to pay off with two free years of college.However, Seniors still have a lot of decisions left to make.

Senior Tatiana Winters admits A+ is “a pretty cool opportunity, I was going to go to one of Columbia’s community colleges.” Winters says that now “things have changed and I am wanting to try to get the scholarship transferred to UMKC or Mizzou.”

College is different for everyone, so students should go to their school counselor and decide what what is best for them. Starting planning for A+ early is definitely beneficial.

Underclassman Alexus Spike says the scholarship is “a really helpful thing for them to offer this to us. I’m wanting to go to Columbia College for it.”

A+ has become a popular choice for high school students because it makes the dream of higher education more attainable. Many of Battle’s brightest students already meet the criteria for A+, and the scholarship is just a way for them to get opportunities they deserve.