Test Fest replaces regular assessment days

With the intention to facilitate test taking and college-and-career-preparation; Test Fest is taking place Oct. 13. It is going to be a full day of activities that will combine test taking and preparing students for upcoming years. Unlike other years, every grade will participate. Freshmen will take the PACT, and juniors will take the ACT WorkKeys. ​​These classes will be complete this during the first half of the day and participate in other activities in the afternoon. 

“Businesses are really starting to look towards the ACT WorkKeys because they want to see if kids know what they’ve learned and can they actually apply it to the work environment where they’re working,” JAG-K Specialist Christy Pray said. 

The purpose of the freshmen taking the PACT is that it serves as a learning opportunity for the WorkKeys test they will take in the future

“You can learn how to manage your time when taking tests and how to actually read the clock to know when time is almost up,” freshman Juliana Rivera said.

For sophomores and seniors, Oct. 13 will be mainly focused on future careers and college. The sophomore class will spend half of the day working on a community engagement project with their ACE teachers. 

Math teacher AJ Bodyk will take his sophomore ACE class to pick up trash in Garvin Park and around the lake while art teacher Audra Shelite will also take her sophomore ACE class to Garvin Park to paint kindness rocks and later read to fourth and fifth grade students. 

 “We chose this because we thought it would be fun to have some sort of artistic expression that we could share,” Shelite said. “I hope that it helps them realize every little chance you have to give back makes a difference and those kids will recognize them in the future and have someone to look up to.”

As for the seniors, they will be on a rotating schedule in the morning with Apply Kansas, FAFSA, and Kansas Workforce. The afternoon will consist of adulting skills and a group of four seniors will participate in a senior panel for the underclassmen. 

“I hope to give knowledge to help them succeed and grow in their education experience,” senior and panel participant Kyra Carrell said.