FERRIDAY &8212; Fifty-nine parish high school students have a better chance of boosting their ACT scores now.

Students from all three high schools attended the district-sponsored &8220;Zapping the ACT&8221; Friday. The district has never offered the ACT prep class parish-wide on a school day.

&8220;(The ACT) is just a concern,&8221; District Reading First Coordinator Cindy Smith said. &8220;We wanted everybody to get the same opportunity. A lot of these students have taken it, but just need a few extra points.&8221;

The Concordia Parish school board brought in a national ACT consultant to conduct the course on the college entrance exam. It was free of charge to the students.

Vidalia High School Guidance Counselor Cynthia Smith said she&8217;s had good experience with the course before at other schools.

&8220;The kids that have participated have come up in scores,&8221; she said. &8220;It works. It gives them a familiarity and points out a few strategies.&8221;

Cynthia Smith said the students who&8217;ve already scored between 18 and 22 have the best chance of improving after the course. A perfect score is 36.

The parish offered the course to students planning to take the ACT in April first.

Those who participated also received materials and extra practice tests to take home.

Friday, the students took a sample test, then reviewed their answers question by question.

Monterey High School junior LaKasha Finley said she&8217;d learned a lot early in the day Friday.

&8220;I&8217;m getting prepared,&8221; she said. &8220;I&8217;ve never taken it before.&8221;