LANSING — In recognition of the students of Renaissance and Cass Technical high schools’ incredible success on their Advanced Placement STEM exams, state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit), chairwoman of the Detroit Caucus and former science teacher, and state Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Saginaw Township), chairman of the House Education Reform Committee, will be hosting a celebration in their honor. The celebratory event will be held tomorrow morning in Lansing, along with members from the National Math and Science Initiative.

“After teaching in Detroit for 8 years, I can attest to our city having some of the brightest young minds in the state, and I could not be more proud to invite these students to Lansing to celebrate their impressive accomplishments,” Gay-Dagnogo said. “These young people spent countless hours studying, often sacrificing time on their weekends to devote to preparing for these exams, and there is no denying that their hard work and diligence paid off. STEM jobs are the jobs of the future, and make no mistake, Detroit students are coming for them.”

African-American students at Cass Tech High School, after spending one year in the National Math and Science Initiative’s College Readiness Program, had the highest number of qualifying scores among their peers in the state on Advanced Placement exams in math, science and English. Renaissance High School students had the second-highest qualifying scores in that group. These qualifying scores on Advanced Placement exams demonstrate a mastery of college-level knowledge and skills and allow students to receive course credit for most U.S. colleges and universities.

“The NMSI College Readiness Program clearly demonstrates that additional work, beyond the classroom, is beneficial for all students to reach and sustain academic excellence. I’m honored to congratulate these students tomorrow,” Kelly said.

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