There are many ways to excel. We want to recognize and reinforce the hard work and accomplishments of Kennedy students. The following awards are just a portion of those given for academic performance, attendance, athletics, and school citizenship. See the Student Handbook for a more complete list of awards and their qualifications.
Academic Number/Letter/Pin
Students who earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.33 or higher for two consecutive terms can earn these academic awards.
The Academic Number can only be earned the student’s freshman year. They will receive chenille numbers for their graduating year. For example, the class of 2027 can earn the”27″.
Sophomores through seniors will receive the Kennedy Academic Letter the first time they reach the GPA qualifications after their freshman year.
Once a student has earned a letter, if they achieve the GPA qualification for two additional consecutive terms of they can earn the Academic Pin.
Academic Numbers and Letters are awarded the year after they are earned. Any awards earned the Junior year will be presented to Seniors at the Senior Recognition Ceremony in late April.
Above and Beyond
The Above and Beyond school citizenship award is presented twice a year. The award is based on scholarship, attendance, and involvement in activities and school-community service.
Each term, students are selected based on recommendations from the Kennedy staff. The student is recognized and their photo is displayed in the case outside the Main Office.
Once a student has been inducted into Above and Beyond, good citizenship and school leadership becomes a continual expectation. Above and Beyond induction is sustained through a student’s high school career.
Academic Honors
Academic honors are bestowed on seniors who have chosen a demanding academic course load and achieved academic excellence throughout their time here at Kennedy. They are awarded special medals to wear at commencement. Students who choose this path will, in all likelihood, meet state regent requirements for college entrance.
Requirements for Academic Honors:
*Completion of the equivalent of 15 yearlong courses in the core subject areas. Core subjects are language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and world languages.
*Grade point average of a least 3.0 in these subjects.
Requirements for Academic Honors with Distinction:
*Completion of four years in language arts, mathematics, and science
*Completion of three years in social studies
*Completion of two years in world language
*Earning total credits equivalent to 24 year long courses (six per term)
*Grade point average of 3.33 in the five core subjects
The President’s Award for Academic Excellence
This award is based on academic grades and scores on assessment tests and presented at the end of the student’s senior year.
Seniors must have a GPA of least 3.5 and score in the top 25% of either the ACT or ISASP.
A recognition letter or certificate from the President of the United States is presented to the student.
National Honor Societies
Kennedy has several honor societies. Students who qualify must apply. Membership criteria is established on the national level. Honor societies (and their sponsors) at Kennedy are:
National Honor Society (Mrs. Bell and Ms Reminisky)
Science National Honor Society (Dr. Jannusch)
Psi Alpha Psychology National Honor Society (Mrs. Melone)
Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society (Mr. Eaton)
Contact any of these sponsors for more information and application deadlines if you are interested.
Honor Roll
Each semester students can achieve one of three honor rolls based on their grades.
*Honor Roll of Excellence (3.70 and above)
*Green and Gold Honor Roll (3.40-3.69)
*Cougar Mark of Merit (3.0-3.39)
In addition, students who raise their GPA by at least 0.35 from the prior semester may also qualify for the Grade Point Improvement Honor Roll.
Current honor roll lists are displayed outside the Main Office. A link to the current lists can also be found at the bottom of this web page.
Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and Graduate with Distinction
Valedictorian-students graduating with a cumulative GPA of 4.165 or higher. The student with the highest cumulative GPA in the senior class will deliver the valedictory address at commencement.
Salutatorian-students graduating with a cumulative GPA of 4.00-4.164.
Graduate with Distinction-students with a cumulative GPA of 3.845-3.999
All award recipients will receive a medallion to wear at commencement and will receive recognition at our Senior Recognition ceremony in late April.
Governor’s Scholar Recognition
Each year Kennedy nominates two seniors with the highest GPA at the time of nomination to be recognized for the Governor’s Scholar Recognition. These two students will be honored at a reception in Des Moines hosted by the governor of Iowa.
KWWL Best of Class
The senior with the highest GPA at the time of nomination is honored to the KWWL Best of Class and invited to participate in taping a segment to be shown on KWWL during May and June.
Service Above Self
Students who volunteer in the community can earn the Service Above Self recognition. To qualify, you must document at least 50 hours of community service annually. You will receive a blue cord to wear at graduation and be recognized at the Senior Recognition Ceremony.
For more information, opportunities to volunteer, and the form to document your hours, join the Google Classroom with this link: 5izqq5h
Questions can be directed to Mrs. Arends.