Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, August 13, 2010

Devin Booker, a senior at Henry Clay High School, tallied a 36 on the ACT college entrance exam – the highest possible composite score. Nationally, only 1/10 of 1 percent of test-takers hits that mark.

He topped out on the June test after scoring a 33 in the spring.

“I was definitely hoping to improve my science score,” he said, admitting he was “a little shocked” at his overall success.

The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science – each scored on a scale of 1-36. The composite score is the average of the four tests. ACT scores are accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges and universities.

Devin said an ACT prep class helped with time management, especially on the science section with its myriad charts and graphs to interpret. He also reviewed some older math formulas to get ready for his second try this summer.

“I didn’t have the stress of school on my back still, and the ACT class helped in keeping me in that mode of thinking,” he said.

At Henry Clay, Devin is vice president of Cooking for a Cause, whose members prepare a meal once a month for parents staying at the Ronald McDonald House. He also is involved in the school’s Equity in Advanced Placement mentoring program, which encourages more students to take AP classes.

Devin is considering about a dozen colleges at this point, with an eye toward pre-med or engineering.