Almost 2,000 students at Fort Lauderdale High School have something to smile about.
Their school is one of three in the nation taking top honors from the CollegeBoard. It's all because their taking college level exams this year. Lots of them. Nearly 3,000 in total.
"We're really smart kids," said Jessica Jean-Baptiste, a freshman who will take her first Advance Placement exam in AP Human Geography on May 18.
"It's extraordinary," said Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie, who congratulated students. "It's what we want in every school... this is a very diverse school."
Just five years ago, students took 500 AP exams. Now, through a magnet program linked to Cambridge University in England, they can take six or seven college level exams apiece, explained program coordinator Marie Hautigan.
"The teachers pay attention to us and they really care about education," said Jean-Baptiste. "People are so willing to take the exams because they have good teachers to helpthem and they feel comfortable... they're gonna pass the test."
CollegeBoard Senior Vice President Peter Negroni handed Principal Priscilla Ribeiro a check for $25,000 dollars.
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Runcie said the Flying Ls can use the money however they like.
