The School District of Lee County is proud to announce three students have earned Top in USA Awards for their performance on the June 2025 Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) assessments. The Cambridge Awards celebrate the success of students taking Cambridge examinations around the world. More than a million students study Cambridge International programs in over 160 countries.
Gateway High School senior Madelyn Spitzer won Top in USA for her Cambridge A Level test in Global Perspectives and Research, making her a two-time honoree after receiving the same recognition last year for her AS Level exam. Top in USA honors are awarded to the learners who have achieved the highest standard mark in the country in an individual subject. Madelyn graduates June 1 and plans to attend the University of South Florida on a National Merit Scholarship, studying Biomedical Sciences in the Honors College.
Madelyn shared, “I am very grateful for the chance to now have won this award twice, however this would not have been possible without the continued support from my family and Ms. Sheppard. I would also like to thank Gateway High School for granting me the opportunity to participate in the AICE program and all the ways it has allowed me to grow as a learner.”
Cypress Lake High School graduate Jamie Lowry also won a Top in USA Award for her Cambridge AS Level test in Art & Design. Jamie graduated in May 2025 and has earned a golf scholarship to attend Daytona State College, where she plans to study Digital Media and Design with aspirations of becoming an SFX artist.
Jamie said, “I am so honored to be presented with this accomplishment, especially as an aspiring SFX artist. Even with all of my hard work, I don’t think that I could have done it without all of the belief and kindness from my teachers. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen.”
Gateway High School junior Charlotte Beal earned a Top in USA Award for her Cambridge AS Level test in English General Paper.
Charlotte reflected, “While I was taking the exam initially, I felt very nervous, but this accomplishment has given me a boost in confidence and opened my eyes to more possibilities in future exams. Thanks to Ms. Loughlin for teaching me everything I needed for the exam, and to Julia for listening to me talk about my essays all year.”
Students in the Cambridge program take AICE classes to prepare for the exams to earn college credit and a potential Cambridge diploma. The Cambridge AICE diploma is awarded to students who have passed seven Cambridge exams in three different subject groups as well as a Global Perspectives and Research exam. The exams are rigorous college-level tests taken twice a year by 175,000 students worldwide. Students who earn a Cambridge Diploma are awarded a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.