More than the Score - ACT Prep at Monument Valley High School

Parker Sherrod, the Student Success Coach at Monument Valley High School in San Juan School District, Utah, knows that preparing for the ACT exam is more than the final score. It is about developing the life skills of practice, repetition, and putting in the work. Sherrod and 31 dedicated students did just that. In 2024, they put in the work to prepare for the ACT, completing a total of 697 ACT prep activities within the Horizon Education platform. 

Sherrod’s role at MVHS is multi-faceted. As a student success coach funded by the Accessing Choices in Education (ACE) Program, he is embedded within the school site to support students and develop them into well-rounded individuals. Sherrod’s background in mental health counseling equips him to create classroom experiences that foster academic and personal growth. “One of the things my students need to practice is ‘putting in the reps.’ It is building a muscle just like at the gym. They need to practice that skill of showing up and completing tasks day after day. That's a life skill. That's what we do with the ACT prep activities.” 

The ACT Prep Program at MVHS has grown significantly these past two years. Sherrod assembles a well-rounded curriculum that is responsive to student needs. Using the tools provided by Horizon Education, the students access ACT-aligned practice items and assessments to prepare for the official ACT exam. During the second year, there was notable growth in the number of students taking practice ACT assessments. 25% more students took practice ACT assessments. However, the most significant shift occurred in the ACT lessons and practice sets. Students in the program demonstrated a staggering 245% increase in the number of activities completed compared to 2023-2024. Sherrod attributes this growth to this year’s group of students who showed up every day ready to work. “I had a cohort of about 10 or 11 students who completed almost every activity within the platform. When they wouldn’t get 100% on an activity, they would ask me to unlock it for them so they could try again.” 

Spencer Singer, Director of the ACE Program, sees the impact of the Student Success Program at Monument Valley High School. Singer shares, “I see it every time I see the students. I see it in the way they carry themselves. I can see that their self-confidence is growing. This is exactly what the ACE Grant is here to do.” Increasing ACT scores is always going to have a positive effect; however, learning to put in the work has significantly benefited the scholars of the San Juan community.