Corona del Mar Today: CdM High students excel in AP exams

High school students last week learned the results of the Advanced Placement tests they took in May — and Corona del Mar High School’s results exceeded the state average.

In all, 723 students were in AP classes during the past school year, taking 1,445 total tests, according to a document provided by school administrators.

“All students are encouraged to take the test, but it is not mandated,” the document said. “We continue to climb in participation numbers, and they have grown from 1,369 in 2011 to 1,445 this past year.”

In all, 89.9% passed their tests with a score of 3 or better; 5 is the top score. In 2011, the school’s pass rate was 84%, and the California average is 64%.

Physics students had a 97% pass rate, up 4% from last year. Psychology was 94%, up 2%. U.S. history students had 99%, up 2%, and biology had a 92% pass rate. Spanish had 95%, English composition, 90%, and English language, 96%.

“As a philosophy, the administration values the AP experience, for all learners, and seeks to open the gates by increasing options and numbers of total AP offerings,” the document says. “We believe that all students should push their academic envelope and select.”

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More than 4 million visit beaches

More than 4 million people visited beaches in Newport Beach between Jan. 1 and June 30, according to a city memo.

Lifeguards had 27,210 contacts with the public during that time, made 941 rescues, reunited 125 people, performed 965 first-aid actions and took 30,252 preventive steps, the memo states.

The July Fourth holiday saw no major incidents on any city beaches, the memo said.

“Newport Beach Lifeguards were busy all day, at a steady but manageable pace, aided by additional staff brought on for the expected surge,” the memo said.

Surf was 2 to 3 feet with rip currents, and 46 people were rescued on the holiday.

Also on July 4, lifeguards had 2,521 contacts with the public, made 23 rescue-boat warnings, performed 23 first-aid acts and took 1,438 preventive actions. Beach attendance was 125,000 people.

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OASIS Senior sailors praised for rescue

The OASIS Sailing Club’s 34-foot Catalina sailboat was returning from a race last month when the crew rescued two men a mile off Newport Harbor, according to a city memo.

The crew of Oasis V was waved down June 28 by two men treading water next to an overturned boat, the memo said.

“The crew, under direction of Skipper Bill Jencks with trainee Steve Sawdon at the helm, pulled the two men on board,” the memo said. “One of the men began to go into shock and regurgitated a lot of sea water.”

It said Sawdon radioed the harbor master, who dispatched a rescue boat “to assist and retrieve the half-submerged watercraft.”

“Club members Bill Badenoch, Don Sheridan and a guest focused on trying to warm up the sick men, while Oasis V made for the Coast Guard Station in the harbor,” the memo said.

The rescued men were visiting from India and had rented the boat for a day, but neither man was a strong swimmer and they were in serious danger when they overturned, the memo said.

Corona del Mar Today appears Sundays in the Daily Pilot. Read daily updates at coronadelmartoday.com.