Photo by Bill Milligan.

The juniors, pictured above at an event Monday at the high school with Principal Eric Cochran, are, from left: Achintya Benegal, Gabriel Martinez, Aditi Seetharaman, Matthew Meyer and Alexander Christian. They join less than 1 percent of students nationwide who score a perfect 36. 

Five students at Lindbergh High School scored a perfect 36 on the ACT this year, breaking school — and maybe even state — records for the single highest number of students to earn a perfect score in one year.

The juniors, Achintya Benegal, Alex Christian, Gabriel Martinez, Matthew Meyer and Aditi Seetharaman, join an elite group of around one-tenth of 1 percent of students who take the test nationwide and score a perfect 36. Achintya, Gabriel, Matthew and Aditi are all students in Lindbergh’s Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS), and Alex is in Lindbergh’s LEAP gifted program.

“These students have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, and we are very proud of their success,” LHS Principal Eric Cochran said. “They are part of a high-performing junior class at Lindbergh High School, and I am confident that these students have a bright future ahead of them as they look to further their education on the collegiate level.”

The Lindbergh High School class of 2017 achieved an average composite score of 23.3 on the ACT, exceeding the Missouri state average composite score, which is 20.4, and the national average composite score of 21.

The ACT is an achievement test designed to measure what a student has learned in school, including academic skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in first-year college coursework, said Ed Colby, senior director of media and public relations for ACT.

“Earning a 36 represents a lot of hard work and dedication in school – taking challenging courses and working hard to learn the material,” Colby said. “Having five students who earn a 36 in one year is definitely a very strong academic achievement, one that should be celebrated.”

All of these LHS students have shown great success both in and out of the classroom:

• Achintya Benegal is a member of the National Honor Society, Tri-M music honor society and DECA, plays tennis, and participates in Science Olympiad

• Alex Christian is a member of the creative writing club, show choir and teen advisory group, and he plays soccer for Vetta Sports

• Gabriel Martinez participates in Future Business Leaders of America, plays water polo, and is on the men’s swim team

• Matthew Meyer is a member of National Honor Society, plays tennis, is a youth group leader, and participates in Science Olympiad, mock trial and chess

• Aditi Seetharaman is a member of National Honor Society and math club, and participates in theatre and Science Olympiad