Atalie Sherman: making the AP test look easy
By Braylon Stafford
Photo of Atalie Sherman by Sarah Sherman
The College Board AP tests roll around every May just in time to crush many students' hearts as they struggle with the grueling 2-4 hour tests. However, this past May, one student stood out from the crowd. Atalie Sherman is a junior at Owasso High School who overcame many challenges during the academic year and scored a five on the AP European test. Moreover, Sherman discovered in August that she had won the Indigenous Recognition Award for her scores.
“I didn’t know it was a big deal until College Board notified the school board,” Sherman says as she calls back to her initial reaction to receiving the award.
Sherman accepted the award with great pride as the road to receiving such a high AP score was not easy. In the summer of 2021, Sherman and her family left their home in Washington D.C. to move back to their hometown in Owasso. However, despite moving schools, Sherman was still able to exceed expectations when she received AP College Board’s Indigenous Recognition Award.
Sherman exclaims, “To know that through the transition I could still achieve academically was so reassuring to me.”
While Sherman won the prestigious award for her academic achievements, she qualified for the award for her Native American Heritage. She is from the small Miami (My-am-uh) tribe of Oklahoma, so when they discovered that she had achieved such an award, they were more than excited for her.
Sherman adds, “It was an honor to be able to give back and do something for my tribe since we are so small.”
It is typical to see students receive an award or two during their high school career and then stop striving for more as they feel accomplished enough. However, Sherman could not be more opposite. While she is very proud of her achievement for both her tribe and her family, she understands that she can strive for greater accomplishments.
“I like to challenge myself academically, and I think that [striving for more] is always the dream, and also I love getting awards,” Sherman conveys.
While many may give up while they’re ahead, Atalie Sherman doesn’t see giving up as an option. She understands that in order to succeed in life you must strive to be the best you can possibly be.