Sixth grader Jaysla Longstreet, 11, knew she was doing well in the Achieve3000 reading program at Mt. Turnbull Elementary School. What she didn’t know, until recently, is she’s the top student in the entire state of Arizona when it comes to the program.
“I was kind of surprised that I would get that achievement,” Longstreet said. She heard the news while at home doing distance learning after spring break. Longstreet said the first person she told was her grandmother, who she said is very proud of her.
And so is Yvette Hernandez, Longstreet’s computer technology teacher.
“We’re just now realizing all of what she accomplished,” Hernandez said adding that Longstreet specifically excelled on a number of Achieve3000 assignments which asked students to read, and then take a comprehension test based on a number of historical fiction texts.
The program helps teachers assess and track improvements in individual students’ reading, comprehension and fluency skills using a widely used metric called Lexile levels.
Hernandez said she’s hoping Longstreet will be able to get a plaque recognizing her achievement soon. Longstreet will also be recognized at an honors assembly at the school later this year, along with other students at the school who have also excelled using the same educational program.
Hernandez said Longstreet will most likely be in an honors or higher level language arts course once she starts middle school next year because of her achievements this year.
When asked if she’d like to study literature or writing at a college or university in the future, Longstreet said she would. When asked if English or reading are her favorite subjects in school, Longstreet said no, math is in fact her favorite subject and she’d also like to explore more of that subject in college.