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TCAPS Parents, Alumni, Administration Ecstatic After Both High Schools’ National Recognition

Traverse City Area Public Schools is getting national recognition, twice.        

Two schools are on a list of Washington Post’s America’s Most Challenging high schools.

Schools are ranked by taking the number of challenging, college level tests given at a school a year, Advanced Placement exams, divided by the number of graduating seniors.

TC Central and TC West were ranked top 20 in the state.

Last year Central was ranked 25 and West was ranked 30.

9&10’s Megan Woods found out what it means.

“Last year was exciting, top 35, but this year, to be in the top 20 is nice to see that upward trend.”

Ben Berger is TC Central’s Assistant Principal, but he also graduated from the high school years ago.

Berger says, “When I went to school in 2005 there were AP offerings that set me ahead of other college freshman and post-secondary freshman who were seeking different opportunities so I had that advantage.”

Years later to be part of continuing that legacy is something special for Mr. Berger.

“Now to see our students taking full AP course loads or full AP Course loads tailored to their interests or strengths it really allows our students have much more dialed in where to go and what they like to do and then to be ahead of the game in that area.”

But the push to do better can also be seen outside the classroom. Valerie Klein’s son is a sophomore at Traverse City West Senior High. She says, “I have seen him not only through his courses that he’s taking but also the extracurricular that he’s done, he has really really matured. The leaders of those programs again they have expectations, strict expectations, of the kids and that’s just a transition they have to have happen before they step out of here as seniors.”

Regardless of which high school you’re referring to, for Superintendent Paul Soma the recognition speaks volumes.

“If you send your student to a TCAPS school either one they’re going to be successful they’re going to be ready for that world that awaits them out there and that’s something that we take a lot of pride in.”

Click for the full Michigan list. 

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