Varina HS named one of 27 'Schools of Excellence' by ACT

The awards are part of ACT's American College Application Campaign, a national effort to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families pursuing a college degree or other higher education credential. The ACT School of Excellence program honors schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to student success and serve as "exemplary models" for their state's college application campaign.

“We are incredibly excited to recognize the 2023-24 School of Excellence winners, and the communities of educators, volunteers, and students who have helped drive this nationwide campaign forward, with the most applications ever submitted as part of the campaign,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “These communities have shown a path forward as we work to ensure that all students, including first-generation college-goers and high school seniors from low-income backgrounds, consider college. It begins with demystifying the complex process of applying. By meeting students where they are — in school, during the school day — the winning schools are removing many of the common obstacles students face in applying to college.”

A record number of 9,253 high schools hosted a College Application Campaign event in 2023 — an increase of nearly 80% over the previous year. Activities in 2023 included college application drives, financial aid workshops, and one-on-one mentoring for academic and career planning support.

More than 467,000 seniors submitted at least one college application during events, and students submitted a total of 1,398,024 applications.