UPDATE The state Department of Education today released statewide SAT scores and Westport’s Staples High School came in No. 5 behind Darien, Weston, New Canaan, and Wilton.

Just over 40,000 students took the SAT in the school year that just ended – a 96 percent participation rate among high school juniors.

The results showed Staples students scoring an average 616 out of 800 on the English Language Art portion and 609 on the math, both improvements over the previous year when the scores were 598 and 599 respectively.

The state said 92.4 percent of Staples students met or exceeded requirements in English and 78.3 in math to be college ready or start a career. These were also improvements over the previous year when the results were 90.8 and 75.5 respectively.

The Staples High School delegation is in Singapore for the Hwa Chong Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Summit. For the past five years, Westport has been invited to send three juniors who are both high performing students and interested in world affairs with a special interest in Asia. This year’s delegation includes (l-r) English teacher Sammy Ginzberg, students Jessica Xu, Marshall Heiser, and Jackson Delgado, and Superintendent of Schools Colleen Palmer. They will spend the next week meeting educators and student leaders from all over the world.  Contributed photo

By James Lomuscio

The two student speakers at Staples High School 130th commencement exercises today seemed polar opposites when discussing their academic experiences over the past four years. Yet upon closer examination, their themes could not have been more in sync.

Staples valedictorian Emily Hope Schussheim talked of her love of elephants. She will attend Yale in the fall.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Megan Patricia Hines was first to speak to the 428 graduating seniors in the Staples Field House before an estimated 4,000 parents, relatives and friends. The first class speaker in a Staples graduation ceremony, her slot was an honor innovation by first year Staples Principal James D’Amico.

Megan, who will be attending the University of Rhode Island in the fall, gave an upbeat and bubbly overview of Staples, despite putting all of her struggles on the table. Megan came right out saying that unlike others, she never took an AP or honors class.

She also spoke about the stress of trying to keep up with high academic expectations around her and the depression that followed during the spring of junior year. 

Staples High School Music Director Nick Mariconda carried the scepter at today’s Staples graduation ceremony as the senior faculty member.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from tonight’s baccalaureate ceremony for the Staples High School Class of 2017, Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Staples High School salutatorian Christopher Scherban told 2017 classmates tonight that on his move to Westport in the 10th grade he heard from other students of a Staples culture of competition. He said he soon adapted by being an “extremist competitor” but not in the usual way. He learned at Staples, competition does not fracture, “it is the very thing that draws us together,’ he said. “You learn to compete with yourself,” His advice to classmates: “Your time is running out. Stop wasting it fretting about brands and branding, cults and clothing, There is no room for half measures and nor will there ever be. Go out to your colleges and to your universities and live deliberately. Enjoy yourself. Most importantly, compete and live fully.” Christopher will attend Georgia Tech in the fall.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

It was a full house tonight at the Staples High School auditorium for the Class of 2017 baccalaureate ceremony. Graduation takes place at 2 p.m. Thursday. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com