Two DHS Students Score Perfect ACT

Editor’s Note—This information was originally provided to Patch as a blog by Township High School District 113. It is reprinted below in its entirety.

Two Deerfield High School students recently received perfect scores of 36 on their ACT tests: Jason Clarke and Dean Li. The ACT National Office sent a letter to DHS Principal Audris Griffith informing her of the perfect scores.

Jason’s mother picked him up from school that day with the unopened envelop in hand, he said. “I was very curious to see what I got. I did a double-take: did I really get a 36?”

Jason and his twin sister practiced together for the exam. “We studied together and gave each other tips. She did pretty well herself,” he said. (Jamie scored at 34, so congratulations to her as well.)  He also has an older brother, Andy, who attends the Lake County High Schools Technology Campus.

“I’m really proud of all three of my kids,” said his mom, Brenda.

Jason said he’s a big reader, and that his favorite subject is math. He’s also into computer science. “That kind of logical thinking helps in every area,” he said.

Meantime, Dean Li was also getting good—actually, perfect--news. He said he didn’t have any secret strategies, or a special breakfast in advance. In fact, he didn’t have time to eat and was in a bit of a rush that morning. He said he’d been busy with other activities, including playing on his varsity basketball team, and had put the test out of his mind until the night before.

The good news, as it was for Jason, was a nice surprise. He, too, was with his mother.  His first response was “This doesn’t seem right,” he said. Together, he and his mom reviewed the details and realized it was real. “I got lucky,” he said.

In addition to playing basketball (at the time of the interview, he noted that the team was 4-1), Dean plays cello in the DHS chamber orchestra, and is also student representative for DHS on the District 113 Education Foundation.  

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