On February 25th 2026, Pahrump Valley High School held the ACTs for this year’s juniors. The ACTs are a series of tests that quiz juniors on what they’ve learned from the past two years of high school. During this multi-step process, many juniors were put under intense pressure. To say this test is overwhelming would be an understatement, and after all this test plays a part in their future. To find out more about the ACTs, Samson Pruitt and Ariane Gomez will give their input and advice for anyone curious for their future.
Samson Pruitt is a junior who attends PVHS, and a journalist who writes for The Trojan Tribune. Pruitt was much more calm about taking the ACTs than most, saying, “The ACTs are not that hard; it’s all the material you already know.” Pruitt saw the ACTs as just another test and took them with the same regard he does with any other test. When Pruitt exclaimed how he was so calm; he said, “Don’t stress about it, if you do that’s what would lead to failure.” Pruitt shared his experience so that anyone who stresses about the ACTs will hopefully realize that it is never good to live in stress, and that it’s always important to calm yourself so that you perform as best as you can.
On another note, Ariane Gomez is another PVHS junior, who also happens to be chief editor of The Trojan Tribune.was very serious when studying for her ACTs because she was determined to get a good score and open up many opportunities for her future. Because she was anxious about the result. Gomez said, “The score is a little scary because it shows me what I do know, and I would be disappointed with myself if it was a low score.” Later when taking the test Gomez said, “I felt a little anxious, but when I was actually taking the test I felt calm.” Thanks to her own self-confidence, Gomez managed to give her best performance. Gomez took the ACTs anxious but calm, ensuring herself an exceptional score and a prominent future.
In the end, staying calm during the ACTs can make a big difference in how well you perform. This year’s juniors have shown us a big difference in attitude, revealing to us confidence and great focus. Gomez and Pruitt trusted what they knew and used it to avoid making simple mistakes most would fall into under pressure. The ACT experience for our juniors has thankfully been a smooth one that has been handled with grace and courage. The confidence shown from PVHS’s juniors will hopefully pave the way for next year’s juniors, giving them much success and prosperity later down the road.
This year’s ACTs testing demonstrated a strong performance from juniors, showing us their courage and determination. Many walked in feeling nervous but came out confident in their answers and proving that hard work and a calm mind pays off. Although our juniors were met with a challenging test, they persevered, now it’s up to the next group to aim even higher. So study for your future and lead the way for others while you get there.
