Jefferson County student gets perfect score on ACT from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

There are 215 English, mathematics, reading and science questions on the ACT exam, and students only have 175 minutes to answer every one of them. If they answer all the questions correctly, they get a score of 36.

How many test-takers achieve this level of perfection? Very, very few. In fact, 99.96 percent of students score below 36. In other words, nearly everybody.

Recently, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School student Michael McGinnis became one of the rare students attaining the perfect 36. For his achievement, Michael and other high-scoring JCIB students Katie Stahlhut, Abby Harris and Kevin Isaiah Jackson were honored in late October by the Jefferson County Board of Education. All four “super scholars” are National Merit Semi-Finalists.

In addition to his stratospheric ACT score, Michael has racked up a long list of academic honors. He is recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction, has placed first in science fair for two years, is an award-winning member of the Science Olympiad team and holds memberships in Mu Alpha Theta math honor society and the National Beta Club. Since he’s already aced all the high school math classes offered, Michael is now taking Advanced Placement statistics online. And the future theoretical physicist is getting some non-theoretical experience working in a quantum materials lab at UAB.

All four high-achieving students give credit for their success to inspirational teachers, parents and the rigorous academic atmosphere at the International Baccalaureate School. And they all admit that one of the main secrets to their success is plain old-fashioned hard work.