The recent graduating class of 2011 has made high school history, as those students posted the highest average ACT score Township High School District 113 has ever seen. 

“We are proud of these results but not surprised,” Superintendent George Fornero said in response to Illinois’ numbers released this week. “Our students are committed to academic study and our teachers and staff support them every step of the way.”    

According to school officials, the class of 2011’s scores matched or outperformed previous district scores in every category tested including English, math, reading and science. The ACT is a college entrance exam, which is a standardized test scored on a 1-36 scale. 

Related: DHS Student Rocks ACT, Gets Perfect Score. 

The composite score for 2011 graduates from Deerfield High School was 27.1 while Highland Park High School was slightly lower, at 26. Those figures are well above state and national averages, 20.9 and 21.1 respectively.

A great send off for 2011 class member and Patch columnist Andy Devries as he prepares to head off to the University of Wisconsin at Madison in a few weeks.

"Though the unprecedented number of brilliant students created a very competitive atmosphere for my peers and I---and always set test curves way too high---I'm honored to have graduated in such an overachieving class," Devries said. 

School officials say Deerfield and Highland Park’s outstanding reputations factor into college admission officers' calculations when making their final decisions and notable test scores, like those recorded by the class of 2011, can only help.

“We have over 200 colleges that visit our school each 
fall,” said Highland Park High School college counselor Aliza Gilbert. “Colleges want our students to attend their schools.”