by Natalie Fitts

Just like any given Wednesday night, junior Shelby Hawkins was scrolling through her inbox when she spotted an email with the subject line “Your ACT Score Report is ready!”

Two and a half weeks earlier, she had walked out of Notre Dame de Sion High School, feeling confident about her first ACT. But despite that confidence, the preparation sessions during various lunch and activity periods, the ACT questions of the day, and test prep books, she never expected to see the number that appeared when she logged into her ACT account.

36.

The best possible score. The score fewer than one-tenth of 1 percent of students earn. Her score.

After she and her mom shared jaw drops and high fives, it was time to share the news. First was a phone call to her older sister. Then calls to the rest of the family. Then a Moodle message to Ms. Hudson.

Those were the easy ones. Now she had to figure out a way to express happiness and pride to friends and acquaintances without feeling like she was bragging.

So after some thought, she posted a Facebook status later that day about how glad she was “to be done with this experience” without giving her actual score.

But it did not take long for everyone to find out the exact score. With Shelby’s permission, Hudson notified all the teachers of the accomplishing. Shelby knew “the floodgates were open.” Congratulations came from teachers and fellow students alike.

Then came the blurb on the nightly news on Fox 4.

But she hasn’t let her accomplishment and minor fame get in the way of her routine. She is determined to keep doing well in her classes and continue her college search as it was before.

Besides, she still has to conquer the SAT.