Titans' Talk Newsletter

The ACT is a college entrance exam used to determine a student's college readiness. The test is normally only offered on Saturdays, but this Spring all junior students had the opportunity to take the test on a school day at CPA. About 30 students took advantage of the opportunity. The next National Test Date is June 12 and students wishing to take the ACT on this date need to register by the deadline, May 7. CPA is an ACT test site for the May 7th test, so when registering choose to take it here at CPA, a familiar environment. For students of CPA there is no fee to register for the ACT as all CPA students qualify for the ACT Fee Waiver, which means they get to take the test for free, a test that normally costs $55 (no writing section)-$70 dollars (with writing). You can get a fee waiver from Ms. Brueck, the College, Career, & Life Readiness teacher or from guidance counselors (Dr. Carter and Mr. Cook). Some colleges require the writing score, so Mrs. Brueck suggests checking your college admission requirements before registering, “I think it’s a good idea to take the writing section even if the college you think you’re going to attend doesn’t require it, because your college choice can change. And if you haven’t taken the writing test and the college requires it, you would have to take the entire test on a Saturday.” If you missed the deadline to register for the June test, there is also one in July.

Mr. Dickerson and his debate team have come a long way since the beginning. Before Mr. Dickerson came along, we had a speech class, no competitive team. He changed that aspect of the school for the better, with the addition of the team, students have had a place in the school that they didn’t have before. The team's debate topics range from almost anything you can imagine, from earth’s ocean and climate changes, to racism and the social injustices of the modern world. When actually debating, it's done in a civilized manner. Similar to court cases, each side whether defending or attacking the subject, you present your starting information. Then after presenting your second set of information, both sides look for faults in the other's claims. Then the closing argument is given and the judge decides which side has conveyed their claims and counterclaims the best. The debate team's conversation has an impact on not only themselves, but the community around them. They learn how to gather and analyze information, look for weak spots in others' claims, examine problems and find solutions. The team normally has around 15 students. But with the current state of the world, students and staff alike have had added hardships to overcome, the number of consistent members dwindled down to 4 or 5. Mr. Dickerson and debate has helped with increasing self-esteem, improving language skills, higher focus, reasoning and processing, along with other skills that can be used for more than just debate. He enjoys helping students find a voice, watching and helping them grow. “Growth isn't in the wins and losses, it's in the students themselves.” He says. He is already looking for more students to guide and join the team.