By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – About 180 Thompson High School students recently got a little more cash in their pockets after the Alabaster City School System distributed gift cards for students who passed Advanced Placement last May.

Through an A+ College Ready Grant and additional funding from the city’s school system, ACS began offering $100 incentives to students who earned a score of three, four or five out of five on the end-course test in the THS AP classes. THS currently offers 14 AP classes in subjects such as math, art, social sciences, English, science, government, biology and foreign languages.

Students who earn a three, four or five on an AP exam can earn college credits before even graduating from high school.

During an Oct. 16 THS pep rally, school and system leaders recognized the about 180 members of the classes of 2015 and 2016 who earned qualifying scores when taking AP tests in May 2015.

“We wanted to show you how this pays off,” THS Principal Dr. Wesley Hester told the pep rally attendees as students applauded their classmates who earned monetary bonuses for their test scores. “Underclassmen, make sure that you go after this opportunity. If you can do this and you can work hard, it truly pays off.”

Many of the students who were recognized during the pep rally had earned multiple monetary bonuses for passing more than one AP exam last May.

In early 2015, the Alabaster Board of Education voted to provide funding for test score monetary bonuses for classes not already covered by the A+ College Ready Grant. The board also approved $8,000 to cover testing costs for students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to take the tests.

Alabaster School Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers said he was pleased with the number of students who earned monetary bonuses for their test scores.

“I’m so proud of the number of students we are recognizing today as part of our A+ College Ready Grant. The number we are able to recognize shows the value of earning those test scores,” Vickers said. “I’m proud of our Board of Education for helping out with the portion that wasn’t covered under the grant.”