Seniors were presented with a pleasant surprise when they arrived to school on Monday. The school had been decorated with “Seniors 90%” across hallways and brick walls, because for the first time in Foothill’s history, the senior class, or any class for that matter has achieved having 90 percent of their students on Renaissance.

While calculating Renaissance statistics on Friday evening, ASB Director Darcy Duffy discovered that 90 percent of all Foothill seniors had a grade point average of 3.0 for first semester and qualified for Renaissance.

It’s the highest percentage that we’ve ever seen in a junior or senior class and overall the school average was a 77 percent which is the highest we’ve seen as a school,” Duffy said.

Renaissance is a national reward program designed to celebrate academic achievement and success. Foothill’s ASB class runs most of the rewards such as free lunch at Renaissance rallies and treats on Renaissance Fridays.

English and Psychology teacher and Senior Class Advisor Melanie Lindsey teamed up with other English teachers to celebrate the success of their students.

“On Monday we had cookies, decorated the school and then yesterday and today in their English classes we gave them the day off and they got to watch a movie with popcorn and red vines,” Lindsey said on Thursday.

Senior Adam Braver was thrilled to hear the news and enjoyed the well-deserved reward.

“It’s a very nice feeling to know that our class is so above with the grade point averages. Most high schools don’t achieve this much. Most high schools, I believe, are averaging about 60 percent, even less than that, so to have our grade achieve so much is fantastic,” Braver said. “It’s a reflection of our school’s hard work and dedication, particularly that from the senior class. We are the biggest class size that Foothill has ever had, and we’re achieving that much academic success.”

Even though each year in high school is progressively harder, the seniors have a Renaissance average 34 percent higher than the freshmen.

“As kids move up the grade level, the cohort of students gets a little bit smaller and I think its a group of students that really want to be here and stay here for four years so it’s naturally going to be even a more motivated group,” Principal Joe Bova said. “The other factor is that we have this specific Renaissance program just for seniors here, Finish Strong, that gives them more regular incentives and does a great job of really motivating them and keeping on top of them.”

Everyone is impressed with the seniors, but more importantly the hard work and dedication of every grade.

“What the stats represent is the level of expectations that we have here at Foothill being realized by the majority of kids here after four years of learning. It’s good to see 90 percent because that means that by the end of their four years, the kids got it. It’s beautiful to see them celebrate this way and for them to say, ‘This is my education and I’m going to take ownership of it.’” Vice Principal Carlos Cohen said.