Maxwell High inspires students

Maxwell High School’s mission to “produce individuals who possess the self-discipline, character and focus to participate successfully in a global society” may sound over the top. But the small school on Colusa County’s westside has all the backing its needs to prove that it serves its student population well.

U.S. News and World Report has ranked Maxwell High – for the second year in a row and third time overall – one of the top high schools in the nation.

Maxwell was one of 21, 069 public high schools in 48 states to be analyzed on its ability to successfully educate its student body across a wide-rage of performance indicators – the first being whether students were performing better than statistically expected for the average student in the state.

According to the report, Maxwell High School was among 1,321 high schools in the study whose students – including those least-advantaged (Hispanic, low-income) – had math and reading proficiency rates higher than the state average.

For that ranking, Maxwell received a coveted bronze medal, setting it apart from other Colusa County and area schools.

The high school trailed 604 high schools (gold- and silver-medal winners) in the study that scored a higher percentage of college-prepared students.

Students at Maxwell High School say it’s their teachers who give them the advantage over other schools.

“We have wonderful teachers,” said MHS senior Molly Dennis. “That is what makes Maxwell High so great.”

One teacher in particular, Jill Wright, has received acclaim from her students and peers alike.

Wright has taught business at the school for more than 28 years, and has been selected “Teacher of the Year” by the Tri-County Regional Occupational Program for Yuba, Sutter and Colusa counties.

The award is presented annually to one of more than 120 teachers in the program who excel at

providing career technical training and vocational education to students.

“Jill is a standout teacher,” said Randy Paige, director of Tri-County ROP. “She is a committed teacher that inspires students and keeps them involved.”

In three ROP classes, Wright serves about 45 to 60 kids each year, teaching them graphic communication and design and helping them produce the school year book. The program is designed to prepare students to enter the business field, become business managers and leaders and achieve success, Paige said.

ROP student Alex Venegas, 17, hopes to become a civil engineer and plans to take some of the skills he’s learned in the ROP program with him.

“Mrs. Wright is great,” he said. “She is always helpful and patient. We learn a lot from her.”

As adviser to the award-winning Maxwell Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America, Wright has a knack for recognizing students ready to hit the ground running – whether entering the workforce directly from high school or planning to attend college.

“They’re very career- and skill-oriented,” Wright said.

That can be seen in students like Lauren Boyes, FBLA chapter president, whose club competes today Len La Barth 3/5/09  at section competition.

Boyes, 17, a senior who lives in Colusa, has attended Maxwell High School all four years.

“There is no other school I would want to go to,” Boyes said. “We have a great school and wonderful teachers.”

Of them all, Boyes said Wright is the most inspiring.

“Mrs. Wright does so much for everyone,” Boys said. “She gives them the opportunity to succeed. She is a real inspiration and a role model. It is because of her that I want to become a teacher.”

Wright will be honored as ROP teacher of the year at a luncheon in May.