For the second year in a row, South Effingham High School has been named a region winner in the 2007 Governor’s Cup Challenge, which recognizes schools that have significantly improved their SAT scores over a three-year period. SEHS has posted an average annual change of 16 points from 2005-2007 and is one of 33 Georgia high schools named as a regional winner.

In recognition of this achievement, SEHS received a trophy and will receive a $1,000 grant. The grant money will be used to purchase SAT materials for use in preparing students for the test.  

Roni Edenfield, instructional supervisor at SEHS, credits the school’s English and math teachers for the extra emphasis they’ve put on preparing their students for the SAT.  

“They have all stepped up to the challenge and the students have responded as well,” Edenfield said.

The Governor’s Cup Challenge is organized by Georgia High School Association class and region assignments to allow schools to be compared against similarly sized schools within the same region of the state. Both critical reading and math scores are calculated to determine the average three-year gain.  

This is the fifth year that Gov. Sonny Perdue has renewed the competition in order to raise SAT scores across the state. For the past four years, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. has sponsored the Governor’s Cup Challenge.

The competition continues as an additional effort to impel schools to implement strategies that will improve reading comprehension, writing ability and mathematical problem solving thereby helping students perform better on the SAT.