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By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer 

HELENA – Since its founding in 2014, Helena High School has continued to improve. Now, 10 years later, Helena High School celebrates the new highest pass rate on AP exams in the school’s history.

During the 2023-2024 school year, 334 students at HHS were registered in advanced placement classes. Collectively, these students finished a combined total of 697 total AP exams, with an overall passing rate of 64 percent.

According to the AP website, AP exams are available in seven subject categories and schools must be authorized by the AP Course Audit to use the AP distinction.

“The Advanced Placement program enables willing and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school,” the website reads. “The AP program develops college-level courses that high schools can choose to offer and corresponding AP exams that are administered once a year.”

This year also marked an increase in the total number of AP courses offered at Helena High School. With the addition of AP precalculus and calculus BC, the total number of AP courses available to students is now 21 classes.

Helena High School Principal Elizabeth Bahr thanked HHS teachers for their passion and students for their hard work to make this accolade possible.

“I am incredibly proud of our students and the dedication of our teachers that led to the increase in our AP scores this year,” Bahr said. “This achievement is attributed to the hard work and commitment to excellence that our students and teachers consistently demonstrate.”

Those interested in learning more about Helena High School can visit Shelbyed.k12.al.us/o/hhs.