UCS students honor AP teachers at Academic Blitz

Four Utica Community Schools teachers were honored by students as representatives of the district’s success in Advanced Placement.

Lisa Hallam, of Eisenhower High School, Jason Sinning, of Henry Ford II High School, Troy Hayes, of Stevenson High School, and Joy Grieco, of Utica High School, were honored as part of the district’s Academic Blitz.

The number of Advanced Placement exams taken by UCS students has nearly tripled over the past ten years – with more than 3,000 AP exams being taken this past year.

Students taking AP tests surpass the national average average by nearly sixty-three percent by earning a college-ready score of three or higher.

As part of the honor, students in their class taped short messages about how their AP teacher inspires them and prepares them for postsecondary success.

Comments from students include:

Hallam

Griffin Sheridan - “She makes her course easy to understand and she connects with her students.”
Kellie Hurst - “Mrs. Hallam has helped to prepare me for college through rigorous work where the coursework falls on myself, but she is also there for help.”

Sinning

Kayla Blackburn - “It was my first AP class so I didn’t think I could do it at all, but after he worked with me I ended up doing better than I thought I would.”
Nicholas Candela - “Expectations in the class are pretty high. He prepared me not only for the class but for my future.”

Hayes

Manraj Pannu - “He encouraged me to keep going and do more than just what is expected or required. That really helped out when we took the AP exam.”
Taylor Davis - “He makes sure all of his students are able to pass the AP exam with the highest grade possible.”

Grieco

Julia Vasquez - “She pushes us to the limits because she wants us to do our best.”
Jonathan Goettsch - “Her high expectations and what she wants us to do are definitely preparing us for the college level.”