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Hall of Distinction banquet tickets on sale now!

Posted: Aug 10, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

Tickets will be on sale starting Aug. 13 for the 2018 Marion High School Hall of Distinction induction banquet.

The banquet is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, at the Henry West Banquet Room, Barnes Student Center, Indiana Wesleyan University, part of Marion Giants homecoming weekend. Tickets can be purchased for $40 at the Marion Community Schools district office at Marion High School, 750 W. 26th St. (Door 22), from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ticket sales end Aug. 31.

>> Click here to pay for your banquet tickets online

The nine 2018 inductees to the MHS Hall of Distinction include GIANTS in the fields of business, sports, science and medicine, education, community development, and community service.

The 2018 inductees are:

Earl E. Green, Marion High School Class of 1940, the first African-American postmaster in Grant County; County Council member; accomplished airplane pilot; and author of poetry and short stories
Charles E. “Chick” Nelson, Marion High School Class of 1948, lawyer and expert on community development and housing, former executive vice president of the United States Institute of Peace
Carlton Rose, Marion High School Class of 1980, President of Global Fleet Maintenance and Engineering for UPS
Brian Balsbaugh, Marion High School Class of 1991, a leader in the sports and gaming industry, representing some of the most high-profile athletes and players in the world
Kathleen L. Keller, Ph.D., Marion High School Class of 1991, award-winning researcher in the field of childhood eating behavior and obesity
Scott and Julie Moorehead, Marion High School Class of 1996 and 1998, Scott is CEO of TCC, and co-founder the Culture of Good organization, which teaches businesses the importance of giving, and with Julie launched TCC Gives, which provides grants and other philanthropic efforts
Erika Davis Sears, M.D., M.S., Marion High School Class of 1998, plastic surgeon specializing in hand surgery and reconstructive surgery, proud to provide care for veterans and other patients with traumatic injuries
Jack Colescott, honorary inductee, longtime teacher, coach, and community leader

The MHS Hall of Distinction gives lasting recognition to alumni who have made exceptional contributions to the achievements and prestige of Marion Community Schools. It also serves to help inspire current students to aspire to similar success.

Any MHS alumnus who graduated at least five years ago and who has made substantial contributions to the achievements of Marion Community Schools or whose exemplary actions reflect honor on MCS is eligible for nomination. The Hall seeks to honor men and women who have distinguished themselves through superb accomplishment on a local, state or national level in diverse fields of endeavor.

Non-MHS graduates may be afforded honorary status in the MHS Hall of Distinction.

Nominations are accepted year-round. The induction committee convenes once a year to consider nominees and make selections, generally at the end of the school year. Nominees remain on the list for three years. For more information, including nomination forms and details on previous inductees, click here.

SENIORS: Lilly Endowment Scholarship application opens 8/1

Posted: Jul 31, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

The Community Foundation of Grant County has announced that the application for the 2018-19 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship will open Aug. 1. Seniors who want to apply can click here to get to the application.

The deadline to apply is Sept. 16, and interviews will be conducted in October.

Eligibility qualifications include:

Minimum 3.5 grade point average (unweighted)
Minimum SAT Superscore of 1280 (Combined Reading and Math) OR ACT score of 27
Attendance at accredited Grant County high school
On course to graduate by June 30, 2019
Plan to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an accredited public or private college or university in Indiana

Marion High School has had a Lilly Scholarship winner for five straight years.

If you need more information or assistance with this application, please see your guidance counselor after the start of school.

For more information about various scholarships, see our scholarship page here on the MHS website.

Two MHS students earn National AP Scholar honors

Posted: Jul 31, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

More than a dozen current Marion High School students and members of the MHS Class of 2018 have been recognized by the College Board for their excellent performance on multiple Advanced Placement tests in the 2017-18 school year, and two students have earned the highest national honor.

Zoe Case and Elizabeth Wuertley, both members of the MHS Class of 2018, were named National AP Scholars, the highest honor the College Board gives, for high scores on eight or more AP exams and a high average score on all tests taken.

Every year, the College Board, which administers AP exams, awards students who have excelled on multiple exams. AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of 3 designates the student as “qualified” and capable of doing the work of an introductory-level course in a particular subject at college, according to the AP Program’s website. Many colleges and universities grant credit and placement for scores of 3, 4 or 5, but the AP Program’s website notes that each college decides which scores it will accept.

The achievements of these current Marion High School students and Class of 2018 graduates put MHS well ahead of the state and national mean scores on AP test scores in several subjects. Several of the students who earned AP honors this year have done so for two or even three years in a row.

Here’s a complete look at our AP honors this year, reflecting scores on tests taken in spring 2018:

National AP Scholars
(earning scores of 4 or higher on eight or more exams, with an average score of at least 4 on all exams taken)

Zoe Case, MHS Class of 2018
Elizabeth Wuertley, MHS Class of 2018

AP Scholars with Distinction
(earning scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams, with an average score of at least 3.5 on all exams taken)

Joshua Kelley, MHS Class of 2018
Kaylynn Scher, MHS Class of 2018

AP Scholars
(earning scores of 3 or higher on three or more exams)

Eliza Fry, MHS Class of 2018
Drake Gunyon, MHS Class of 2018
Sean Harnett, MHS Class of 2018
Joseph Hoffert, senior
Jessica Mooney, MHS Class of 2018
Zoe Orrell, senior
Samuel Vermilion, MHS Class of 2018

Since 1955, the rigorous Advanced Placement Program has enabled millions of students to take college-level courses and exams and to earn college credit or placement while still in high school.

According to a 2008 study, the AP Program’s website says, AP students have better four-year college graduation rates than those who did not take AP. Taking AP also increases eligibility for scholarships and makes candidates more attractive to colleges.

AP Scholar honors put the spotlight on students who excel in multiple subjects, and students may cite this academic distinction among their credentials on applications, resumes, and portfolios. (Learn more about the honors here.)

Marion High School requires that students taking an AP class take the corresponding AP exam in order to receive the extra credit available for the class. (All AP classes at MHS are “weighted”, meaning that students can earn more credit for those classes because of their difficulty, as compared to standard classes. But students who don’t take the AP exam won’t receive that extra credit.) This leads to a very high percentage of MHS AP students taking the corresponding exams — which makes the passing percentages achieved by MHS students in 2018 even more impressive.

Notable statistics from the 2018 AP exams at MHS:

64 students passed one or more AP exams.
MHS students passed 15 different exams: Biology; Calculus (AB and BC); Chemistry; English Language and Composition; English Literature and Composition; Environmental Science; Music Theory; Physics 1; Psychology; Spanish Language and Culture; Statistics; U.S. History; World History; and the portfolio-based Studio Art Design 2D. The number of students taking a particular test ranged from 2 to 47.
100 percent of MHS students who participated in the Studio Art 2D Design Portfolio exam passed; this surpasses the 84.8 percent passing rate nationwide. (Wondering what these portfolios consist of? You can see examples from previous years here.)
100 percent of MHS students who took the English Literature and Composition exam passes; this surpasses the 47.4 percent passing rate nationwide.
91.3 percent of MHS students who took the Calculus AB exam passed; this surpasses the 57.5 percent passing rate nationwide.
90 percent of MHS students who took the Calculus BC exam passed; this surpasses the 80.3 percent passing rate nationwide.
81 percent of MHS students who took the Biology exam passed; this surpasses the 61.5 percent passing rate nationwide.
50 percent of the MHS students who took the Environmental Science exam passed; this surpasses the 47.5 passing rate nationwide.

Marion Community Schools is proud of these students’ excellent achievements, and is proud too of the early college opportunities MHS continues to offer to its students. For information about how your high school student can take advantage of these early college credit opportunities and more, check out the enrollment section of our website.

Online registration is NOW OPEN!

Posted: Jul 17, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

>> Click here for information about online registration, which families with returning students should use to verify information and make any needed updates

NOTE: We will have Registration Help Desk assistance available onsite and by phone now through the start of school. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need assistance, or stop by during open hours (click here for that list of times / days / places).

YOU'RE INVITED: Freshman Open House (8/6)

Posted: Jul 16, 2018 by Patricia Gibson, Communications Director

All members of the Marion High School Class of 2022 (this year's incoming 9th-graders) are invited to attend our 2018 Freshman Open House!

There will be building tours, a cookout, and important information about clubs and other extra-curricular activities.

We hope to see you at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 6. Meet us in the MHS cafeteria to start off the event, which will run to 7 p.m.

(School starts Aug. 9!)

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