In a remarkable display of academic prowess, local high school seniors Cate Babe and William Henson achieved what only a fraction of students nationwide accomplish each year: a perfect score on the ACT.

In addition the two were also named  National Merit Scholars. , For the STAR Student recognition, they received recognition from MEC’s STAR, a progam to recognize outstanding students in Mississppi through its Education Celebration. They will get Star and Cook Foundation scholarships.

This rare feat sets them apart in a rigorous test of college readiness, where even a single point can make a difference. But for Babb and Henson, the road to perfection was paved with dedication, strategic preparation, and a shared vision of excellence.

With the spotlight on their exceptional scores, Babb shares the details of her preparation journey, providing a blueprint for other ambitious students aiming for ACT success.

 “Our approach was methodical and collaborative,” Babb said, as William nodded in agreement, “My score always had priority. So it’s just whenever I was able to fit in a few minutes of study.” 

While they made a perfect score on their ACT , they shared some of the most challenging parts about the ACT.

 “For me, it was science. I was close to everything besides science for a long time. And I just really had to find the materials to study just science. I lookedonline and in books.” Babb said.

“Mine was science too. I just tried to read everything too carefully. So once I realized, I can just skip over most of this passage and just try to get what information I actually need from it by reading the questions, then that helped me.”  Henson said.