After not making their Adequate Yearly Progress goal for the past two years, Selma High School was finally victorious.

Selma High principal Wanda McCall was presented with a plaque Monday, which recognized her hard work along with the staff and faculty in meeting this goal.

“I didn’t know I was getting it. It was a huge surprise,” said McCall, who has been principal of Selma High School for four years.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, AYP is a measurement defined by the No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the county is performing academically according to results on standardizes tests.

McCall said many factors go in to meeting this goal, namely attendance and how well students perform on standardized tests.

Since Selma High School had not met this goal recently, McCall said she felt like it was a “real achievement” that the school did this year.

She added she has been working hard the past few years to meet these goals and she believes the opening of the new high school has been a big help in doing so.

“The children, I think they just enjoy being in a new school,” she said. “There’s a novelty in a new place anywhere, it makes them act a little better.”

Chris Urnis of Herff Jones Company presented McCall with the plaque in the high school auditorium in front of the entire senior class.

“I’m just happy to be here at Selma High,” McCall said. “Every day is a great day.”