Cool to be Smart Celebration

What are the issues?

Sometimes, kids who excel academically can be shunned or taunted by their peers. Guilford County Schools wants to promote excellence in schools and encourage high achieving students to continue to do well.

What are they doing?

Crown Automotive and Harris Teeter Neighborhood Markets team up with Guilford County Schools to offer high achieving students the chance to win one of seven cars, college scholarships, or laptops.

Students must earn high marks in Advanced Placement (AP)* or International Baccalaureate (IB)** courses and on their course exams. (See the definitions at the end of this page.)

How does this make a difference?

In one year, the Guilford County Schools recognized 282 students through this program. Student participation in AP and IB courses increased 149 percent since 2000. Non-white participation in AP and IB courses jumped 183 percent during that same time period.

"Crown Automotive is proud to be a part of a program that emphasizes exceptional scholastic achievement in a strenuous academic program," asserts Michael Kearney, Chief Executive Officer of Crown Automotive.

The program promotes the idea that it is cool to be smart through prizes and monetary incentives.

Definitions

*AP. Advanced Placement courses enable high school students to complete college-level courses for college placement and/or credit.

**IP. The International Baccalaureate (IB) classes are high quality programs based on IB international education available to a worldwide community of schools.