A student from Long Island’s Baldwin High School recently achieved a perfect score on the Chemistry Regents exam, securing a $100 reward by completing his teacher’s long-standing challenge. Jojo Yawson surprised everyone when his test turned up with a 100 after being the last one graded in June.
“I was completely astonished when I saw that score. He was literally the final student I graded,” recalled Yawson’s teacher, Anthony Simonelli, when speaking to CBS New York.
Yawson’s accomplishment is noteworthy given that the state is in the process of transitioning to a different exam format, which will phase out testing for high school diplomas by 2028.
For 25 years, Simonelli has incentivized his students to aim for a perfect score on the challenging final exam by offering a $100 bill delivered right to their homes.
“I thought, let’s give them some motivation. I’ll offer $100 to any student who can pull off a perfect score,” he shared in his interview.
Yawson, who was a sophomore at the time, was determined to meet the challenge, seeing it as achievable. “I really thought I could do it. It’s just about getting all the questions right; it’s not impossible,” he explained.
He emphasized the key was to be meticulous and avoid errors. “Being careful and not making mistakes is what it’s all about. That’s the tough part,” he noted.
However, after finishing the exam, Yawson went home feeling disheartened. “I honestly believed I had done awful. I felt like I must have missed a couple of questions,” he confessed.
To his surprise, his performance was flawless across all sections, leading Simonelli to personally hand over the reward—a signed $100 bill.
“It was significant for me. It was definitely on my mind, front and center,” Yawson remarked about the prize, which had been engraved with his teacher’s signature and a “Thank you.”
“Sure, it’s about the money,” he added. “But if they had offered me $100 for a 50, I would have aimed for a 50. It’s the incentive that matters.”
While Yawson considered framing the bill, he might ultimately choose to spend it, as it isn’t his first perfect score on a Regents exam.
Previously, during his freshman year, he scored 100 on the Biology Regents as well.
His mother expressed pride in her son, highlighting his journey despite needing learning accommodations to achieve his scores. “I believe this should inspire other students with accommodations and their families to see that having a learning difference can lead to excellence,” said Ama Karikari.
Looking ahead, Simonelli indicated that this might be the last opportunity for any of his students to achieve a 100 on the Chemistry Regents exam, as it will be restructured to align with the new state P-12 Science Learning Standards.
“To think that the last student who could get a perfect score actually did it is just unbelievable,” he remarked.
In the wake of educational reforms, former Governor George Pataki criticized the changes intended to simplify high school diploma requirements, labeling them as regressive. “Eliminating the Regents is incredibly foolish,” he stated recently. “It seems like the Education Department is trying to cover up the fact that too many schools in New York are failing to provide an adequate education,” he added, suggesting there should be more testing to drive improvements instead of removing assessments.
