The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 03, 1999, Page 2, Image 2
Carolina News
Spring Valley student scores perfect on ACT
by Kelly Haggerty
Senior Writer
A South Carolinian has earned a perfect score on the
American College Testing Assessment,
Spring Valley High School junior Ryan Wells scored
a 36 composite score on the test he took for the first time
in October.
‘To the best that I have been able to determine, this
is a first for any student in South Carolina,” said Jim
Overton, SVHS guidance counselor.
Overton encouraged Wfells to take the test because
of his strong interest in science and mathematics.
“He’s maybe the most capable student I’ve ever
worked with. I think it’s great for him,” Overton said.
Unlike the Scholastic Assessment Test, which has
a verbal and a math section, the ACT has English,
reading, math and science reasoning sections.
The math for the SAT requires students to know
geometry and Algebra II, whereas the ACT tests stu
dents on knowledge learned in Algebra III. Both tests
take about the same amount of time to complete.
A perfect score on the SAT is 1600. When Wells
took the SAT as a sophomore, he scored 1500.
Wells earned a 36 on each section of the ACT test
except math, in which he scored a 35. His perfect
score was derived from an average of the section scores.
“I thought I did well. I didn’t think I did as well as
I did, though,” Wells said.
“I was just blessed with the abilities. All I did was
use them.
“Actually, the day before I took the test, I looked at
a practice one. Answering questions in groups of five, I
was getting one out of five right. After half an hour, I
got frustrated and quit,” he said.
According to ACT Inc. ’s most recent data available
(from the class of 1999), only 85 students nationwide
earned a perfect score.
Out of more than 1 million students who took the
test, Wells is the only one from South Carolina to earn
a perfect score. However, neither Wells nor Overton
thinks it will go to Wells’ head.
“It’s a nice honor for him, one he will take in stride.
It’s no big deal for him, though,” Overton said.
Although the ACT doesn’t have a scholarship pro
gram comparable to the SAT’s National Merit Scholars
program, Overton said Wells’ maximum score on the
ACT will still bring him attention and recognition from
many colleges.
Wells said that because he’s a junior, he doesn’t know
where he’ll
go to college
or what his
major will be,
but he did say
he’d like to
study some
kind of engi
neering.
“I don’t
know for sure
yet. If I de
cide to stay
close to
home, then
I’ll go to
ueoigia lecn. n noi, tnen n win prooaoiy oeivui, wens
said.
In addition to liis schoolwork, Wells keeps busy play
ing defense for his school’s soccer team in the spring and
for his Classic Soccer team in the fall. He’s also a
member of the National Honor Society, National Span
ish Honor Society, Beta Club and the Discovery math
science magnet program.
|
‘I thought I did well. I
didn’t think I did as
well as I did, though.’
Ryan Wells
Spring Valley High School junior
Senate
from page 1
are, he will sign it quickly.”
Gearman said online voting would in
crease voter turnout, allow votes to be
counted more quickly and save the uni
versity more than $5,000 in printing and
staffing costs. He said the system wouldn’t
require any extra costs.
“The system that it’s on, the VIP sys
tem, is already in place,” he said.
Elections Commissioner Emily
LeMaster said other schools have had pos
itive experiences with online voting.
The bill passed during the last meet
ing of the student senate this semester.
“They have been veiy prevalent on a
campus that needs them,” Student Body
President Malik Husser said of Student
Government.
Powers and Responsibilities Chair
woman Jotaka Eaddy agreed.
online voting, Night Out, Safety %lk and
Husser’s executive order declaring Nov.
17 as USC World Hunger Awareness Day.
He also mentioned Adopt-a-Sidewalk,
which would allow student oiganizations
to “adopt” a section of the campus to keep
clean.
“They will have to monitor and clean
up that area,” Husser said.
Melissa Fletcher, co-chairwoman of
the Senate Student Services Committee,
said the program, which hasn’t gotten fi
nal approval yet, would break the campus
into 36 areas, with two oiganizations re
sponsible for cleaning an area eveiy month.
“I think it will be a success,” Fletch
er said.
SG officers also said they were proud
of Meet Your Student Government Day,
which included the first “State of the Uni
versity” address by SG executive officers.
“We had a phenomenal Meet Your
Student Government Day,” Husser said.
Eaddy, whose committee spearhead
ed the event, agreed. “I think we really
students weren’t aware of what Student
Government was doing,” she said.
However, SG’s Safe Ride remained
on hold. Fletcher said SG is focusing on
an on-campus version of the program,
which would bus students back from Five
Points.
“We’re still working on the campus
one,” Fletcher said. “That’s going to be
continued into next semester.
“It’s sort of back into the planning
stages, but we’re still working on it,” she
said.
The new program also doesn’t make
it look as if USC is supporting drinking, a
concern some students had raised about
the Five Points system, Fletcher said. “No
body can look at it and say that we’re pro
moting anything but safety,” she said.
Husser said he didn’t think the attempt to
impeach Student Body Treasurer Eliza
beth Fordham had affected SG’s activities
this semester.
“I think SG handled that situation
well,” he said.
Library
from page 1
east. Clemson’s library is normally open
until 1 a.m. during weekdays and 3 a.m.
during the week of finals. The College of
Charleston’s main library normally stays
open until midnight and 1 a.m. during ex
ams. The University of Georgia’s main li
brary stays open until midnight and until
2 a.m. during finals during the week.
Coastal Carolina’s library stays open un
til 11 p.m. during the semester’s week
days and midnight during exams. East Car
olina University’s library is open until 2
a.m. year-round on the weekdays. Sever
al universities including the University of
Virginia, the University of North Caroli
na at Chapel Hill and Duke University,
provide students with 24-hour access dur
ing exams.
Smoothie King makes
new home in Blatt
by Desmond Jenkins
Staff Writer
USC students can now look forward
to something besides water to quench then
thirst after a long, hard workout or an
NBA-style, full-court basketball game.
After six months of negotiations with
USC, Smoothie King is up and operational
in the Blatt P.E. Center lobby.
According to owner Ryan Beck, the
chain is the largest juice-bar franchise in
America.
“This is our third location in the
Columbia area, and we’re excited to be a
part of the Carolina community,” Beck
said.
“We offer high-protein, low-carb
smoothies made with all-natural fruit and
ingredients that will give you an energy
boost.”
Some students are glad Smoothie King
is at USC.
Nursing freshman Elaine Sumter likes
the new addition to campus.
“Smoothie King is much better than
Freshens Yogurt (in the Carolina Mall).
I’m glad we have another franchise to
choose front,” Sumter said.
Other students, like retailing sopho
more Jay Clark, want to be able to use
their meal plans to buy Smoothies.
“After every workout, I purchase a
Smoothie. But if I could use my meal plan,
I would purchase them several times a
day,” Clark said.
Beck said that only cash, credit cards
and checks are accepted, but that could
change soon.
“As of the moment, we have not yet
reached an agreement with Marriott Food
Services so that students can use their meal
plans and cash cards, but I see it happen
ing in the not-so-distant future,” Beck
said.
Beck also said that in addition to
smoothies, Smoothie King sells vita
mins and supplements at a 15 percent dis
count.
“I’m glad that Smoothie King is a part
of USC, and I hope all students take ad
vantage of our services,” Beck said.
Correction
In the Dec. 1 issue, we incorrectly reported that the Russell House Bookstore’s 66 percent book buyback policy
would pay $33 on a book bought for the used price of $37.50 if the book’s new price was $50. The correct buyback price
would be $25, an 11 percent increase over a 50 percent buyback of a used book costing $37.50. The usual buyback price
of a new book picked up for the next semester is 50 percent of the original purchase price. Additionally, the buyback price
of a used book is up to 66 percent, and will only be given until the store reaches its supply limit. We regret any inconve
nience this might have caused.
g i wmr . i- 'wm. i i
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