New Senior High program in Billings, Montana recognizes students who take every tough class

And then there were 16.

Senior High’s new Platinum Program http://www.billingsschools.org/billingsrhs is about to graduate its first crop of finishers, and what started as a group of 53 freshman four years ago has whittled itself down to 16 seniors this month.

"It kind of takes a lot of discipline to follow through," said senior Ellen Carlson.

"It’s hard," said senior Rachael Eaton.

To complete the program, students must take every Advanced Placement and honors class that Senior High offers. They write a rigorous research paper as juniors and then complete a final project, called a magnum opus, their senior year.

The roster of classes include brain-bruisers like AP U.S. history and government, AP calculus, honors English and honors algebra 3.

"That’s probably the toughest course offered in this building," said Principal Dennis Holmes.

By Rob Rogers

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