Five students at Dayton High School have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams for the 2019-2020 school year, an amazing accomplishment due to the recent pandemic.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 22 percent of the 2.2 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.
At Dayton High School, five students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher. Three of these students graduated with the Class of 2020 and two will graduate with the Class of 2021. The AP Scholars are:
- Jonathan Gerardo, son of Mr. & Mrs. Joel Gerardo (Class of 2021)
- Paola Perdomo Cepeda, daughter of Richard Perdomo and Lena Cepeda Chirinos (Class of 2020)
- Joshua Sagun, son of Mr. & Mrs. Joselito Sagun (Class of 2021)
- Carolina Tinajero, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Tinajero (Class of 2020)
The fifth student asked that his/her information not be included in the press release.

Dayton ISD is extremely proud of the efforts of all students who participated in AP courses and took AP exams during this unprecedented time of the pandemic. Students quickly adjusted to both online instruction and online testing for their AP exams amid less than ideal circumstances.
Through 34 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placement and stand out in the college admission process. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that AP Exams are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation’s leading liberal arts and research institutions.
More than 3,600 colleges and universities annually receive AP scores. Most four-year colleges in the United States provide credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying exam scores. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher college graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.