Rotary hears how students are taking the AP Challenge

WEST MILFORD — Mark Mickens, guest speaker at the weekly meeting of the West Milford Rotary Club, shared his excitement and vision for a very special project he has helped put together. The AP Challenge, in its second year, encourages local high school students who are taking Advanced Placement courses, to go on to take the AP test. By taking the test and passing (on a scale of 1- 5 students need only to get a 3 or better) students can enter the AP Challenge and win a grand prize — a new car donated by Route 23 Auto Mall.

The West Milford Rotary has made a donation to the Challenge.

The benefit of this is not only to the students in placement and college courses, but can help rank the high schools nationally. Students will be given keys, based on the number of tests they take and pass, that will give them access to a box with the winning key. The winner is the student who opens the box and gets the key that starts the car.

Mickens, a graduate and football coach at Butler High School, has always had student’s best interest at heart. Hearing about this program in another state, he saw a way to encourage kids to go that extra step in preparing for their future. Along with former Butler High School Guidance Counselor Marge Giles and former history teacher and current Board of Education member Cindy Sokoloff, the first AP Challenge was put together last year and it was a great success with over 268 students from Butler, Pequannock, Kinnelon and Pompton Plains high schools. This year, West Milford High School will be participating as well, and Mickens is expecting a record number of participants.

To get the word out, Mickens has been speaking to Rotaries and organizations and many have responded with cash donations to help support the event. iPads, computers, and merchandise have been given as additional prizes for the students.

Triboro, Pequannock, Pompton Lakes and West Milford Rotaries are among the organizations who have donated, along with corporate sponsorships from Dell Computers and Ford Motor Co.

This year’s Challenge will be held on July 27, 2013 at the Route 23 Auto Mall. There will be activities and fun events for all, culminating in one lucky student winning a brand new car.