Is Challenge Center - 51 a good school?

Yes! Challenge Center - 51 is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 1 st of 201 South Dakota elementary schools.

How many students attend Challenge Center - 51?

In the 2022-23 school year, 185 students attended Challenge Center - 51.

What is the racial makeup of Challenge Center - 51?

Students at Challenge Center - 51 are 85% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 4% Hispanic, 2% African American, 1% American Indian.

Challenge Center - 51

Summary:

Challenge Center - 51 is an exceptional elementary school located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving 185 students in grades 2-5. This school has consistently been ranked the #1 elementary school in the state for the past 10 years, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, setting it apart from the surrounding schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5.

Challenge Center - 51 students consistently outperform the district and state averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 92.59% of Challenge Center - 51 students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 48.75% for the district and 50.04% for the state. The school also ranks #1 in the state for female, male, and white student performance, as well as for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, Challenge Center - 51 has maintained very low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 1.6% to 4.6% over the past few years, significantly lower than the district and state averages.

When comparing Challenge Center - 51 to the nearby schools in the Sioux Falls School District, it stands out as a clear leader in academic achievement. For instance, in the 2023-2024 school year, Challenge Center - 51 had 92.59% of students proficient or better in ELA, while the next highest nearby school, Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65, had 66.34%. Despite its outstanding academic results, Challenge Center - 51 appears to be spending less per student than many of the nearby schools, indicating that it is effectively utilizing its resources to support student learning.

Detail:

Public 2-5

3101 S 4th Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57105

(605) 367-6170

District: Sioux Falls School District 49-5

SchoolDigger Rank:
1^st of 201 South Dakota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,141

Student/teacher ratio: 18.2

Number of students: 185

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.9%

Two or more races:

4.9%

Asian:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 11.9%

See top rated South Dakota elementary schools

Compare Challenge Center - 51 to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Challenge Center - 51 ranks better than 99.5% of elementary schools in South Dakota. It also ranks first among 23 ranked elementary schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 99.22. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Challenge Center - 51 has the largest elementary school student body size in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Challenge Center - 51 is $6,141, which is the lowest among 25 elementary schools in the Sioux Falls School District 49-5!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Challenge Center - 51:

SchoolDigger ranks Challenge Center - 51 1^st of 201 South Dakota public elementary schools. (See Challenge Center - 51 in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Sioux Falls School District 49-5:

SchoolDigger ranks Sioux Falls School District 49-5 72^nd of 126 South Dakota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Challenge Center - 51?

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Rank History for Challenge Center - 51

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Rank History for all students at Challenge Center - 51

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2003	94.36	1^st	187	99.5%
2004	90.02	1^st	189	99.5%
2005	86.68	3^rd	194	98.5%
2006	87.56	1^st	197	99.5%
2007	87.10	2^nd	194	99.0%
2008	85.88	2^nd	194	99.0%
2009	91.27	1^st	196	99.5%
2010	90.56	2^nd	206	99.0%
2011	90.87	1^st	205	99.5%
2012	91.20	1^st	214	99.5%
2013	90.89	1^st	201	99.5%
2015	99.57	1^st	209	99.5%
2016	97.94	1^st	206	99.5%
2017	99.26	1^st	207	99.5%
2018	99.29	1^st	204	99.5%
2019	99.13	1^st	206	99.5%
2021	99.46	1^st	202	99.5%
2022	99.28	1^st	202	99.5%
2023	99.46	1^st	204	99.5%
2024	99.22	1^st	201	99.5%

See the entire list of South Dakota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenge Center - 51

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	100.00	1^st	80	98.8%
2023	100.00	1^st	112	99.1%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Challenge Center - 51

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	99.06	1^st	163	99.4%
2019	98.61	1^st	155	99.4%
2021	99.12	1^st	151	99.3%
2022	99.20	1^st	150	99.3%
2023	99.29	1^st	154	99.4%
2024	99.06	1^st	165	99.4%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Challenge Center - 51

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	99.08	1^st	170	99.4%
2019	99.15	1^st	160	99.4%
2021	99.34	1^st	157	99.4%
2022	99.02	1^st	154	99.4%
2023	99.27	1^st	166	99.4%
2024	98.91	1^st	161	99.4%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Challenge Center - 51

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SD State Percentile
2018	99.30	1^st	186	99.5%
2019	98.60	1^st	191	99.5%
2021	99.29	1^st	185	99.5%
2022	98.90	1^st	184	99.5%
2023	99.26	1^st	185	99.5%
2024	98.99	1^st	184	99.5%

See the entire list of Best South Dakota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Dakota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Challenge Center - 51

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2001	88	0	4	1	1	n/a	n/a	94
2002	93	2	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	100
2003	93	2	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	100
2004	89	1	7	1	2	n/a	n/a	100
2005	93	1	4	1	2	n/a	n/a	101
2006	93	1	5	0	1	n/a	n/a	100
2007	97	0	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	103
2008	106	1	6	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	114
2009	95	0	7	2	1	n/a	n/a	105
2010	106	1	8	2	2	n/a	n/a	119
2011	113	1	12	1	4	0	1	132
2012	130	0	14	1	5	0	0	150
2013	139	1	23	5	3	0	0	171
2014	127	0	21	3	0	0	3	154
2015	133	3	13	3	1	0	6	159
2016	122	1	16	4	1	0	6	150
2017	135	4	13	2	1	0	9	164
2018	126	4	13	4	1	0	8	156
2019	141	8	9	5	1	0	11	175
2020	140	6	11	6	1	0	14	178
2021	135	1	10	4	1	0	13	164
2022	143	1	8	5	0	0	9	166
2023	157	3	7	7	2	0	9	185

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Challenge Center - 51

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	94	4.0	23.5	0
2002	100	3.4	29.4	n/a
2003	100	3.4	29.4	n/a
2004	100	4.6	21.7	6
2005	101	4.7	21.5	6.9
2006	100	4.5	22.2	0
2007	103	4.4	23.4	9.7
2008	114	5.8	19.7	n/a
2009	105	5.8	18.1	7.6
2010	119	5.5	21.3	11.8
2011	132	8.1	16.1	14.4
2012	150	7.1	21.0	14
2013	171	8.1	21.0	10.5
2014	154	8.1	18.8	11
2015	159	8.0	19.8	13.8
2016	150	8.0	18.7	12.7
2017	164	7.3	22.3	17.1
2018	156	8.7	17.8	14.7
2019	175	7.9	22.1	15.4
2020	178	8.2	21.6	15.7
2021	164	8.7	18.8	14
2022	166	9.6	17.2	13.9
2023	185	10.1	18.2	11.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Challenge Center - 51

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	94	4.0	23.5	0
2002	100	3.4	29.4	n/a
2003	100	3.4	29.4	n/a
2004	100	4.6	21.7	6
2005	101	4.7	21.5	6.9
2006	100	4.5	22.2	0
2007	103	4.4	23.4	9.7
2008	114	5.8	19.7	n/a
2009	105	5.8	18.1	7.6
2010	119	5.5	21.3	11.8
2011	132	8.1	16.1	14.4
2012	150	7.1	21.0	14
2013	171	8.1	21.0	10.5
2014	154	8.1	18.8	11
2015	159	8.0	19.8	13.8
2016	150	8.0	18.7	12.7
2017	164	7.3	22.3	17.1
2018	156	8.7	17.8	14.7
2019	175	7.9	22.1	15.4
2020	178	8.2	21.6	15.7
2021	164	8.7	18.8	14
2022	166	9.6	17.2	13.9
2023	185	10.1	18.2	11.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Challenge Center - 51

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$492 (10.2%)	$4,325 (89.8%)	$4,817
2021	$842 (15.4%)	$4,613 (84.6%)	$5,454
2022	$720 (12.7%)	$4,958 (87.3%)	$5,678
2023	$922 (15.0%)	$5,218 (85.0%)	$6,141

Data source: South Dakota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenge Center - 51

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1^st of 206 Elementary schools	Ranks 1^st of 204 Elementary schools	0%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Challenge Center - 51)	88.7	90.7	2.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	43.6	41.2	2.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	49.1	45.3	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Challenge Center - 51)	94.3	98.2	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	49	47.7	1.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	52.7	51.1	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Challenge Center - 51)	100	96.3	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	46.2	45.1	1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	50.3	47.2	3.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Challenge Center - 51)	100	98.1	1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	43.7	45.3	1.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	49	47.7	1.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Challenge Center - 51)	98.1	98.2	0%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	51.3	45.9	5.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Dakota)	54.1	48.7	5.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Challenge Center - 51)	92.5	100	7.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	39.1	37.5	1.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Dakota)	40.5	39.4	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Challenge Center - 51)	98.1	96.3	1.8%
5th Grade Science (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	34.9	37.7	2.8%
5th Grade Science (South Dakota)	42.1	39.9	2.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Challenge Center - 51)	95.3	95.1	0.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	49.7	47	2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Dakota)	53.2	49.7	3.5%
All Grades Mathematics (Challenge Center - 51)	95.3	98.8	3.4%
All Grades Mathematics (Sioux Falls School District 49-5)	43.1	41.3	1.8%
All Grades Mathematics (South Dakota)	44.9	41.9	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	175	185	5.7%
African American	8	3	62.5%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	9	7	22.2%
Hispanic	5	7	40%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	141	157	11.3%
Two or More Races	11	9	18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	15.4%	11.9%	3.5%

Schools Near Challenge Center - 51

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Robert Frost Elementary - 18	Public	PK, KG-5	3101 S 4th Ave	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-6170	442	23	18.8	34.4%	305 (69.0%)	50 (11.3%)	33 (7.5%)	9 (2.0%)	13 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (7.0%)	53.8	99^th of 201 public elementary schools	50.7%		44.7	116^th of 204 public elementary schools	43.1%	17	41.5	51.8	54.7	49.4	41.5	53.6	54.7	50.0	49.1	$10,654	$1,190	$9,465
Challenge Center - 51	Public	2-5	3101 S 4th Ave	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-6170	185	10	18.2	11.9%	157 (84.9%)	3 (1.6%)	7 (3.8%)	7 (3.8%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.9%)	99.2	1^st of 201 public elementary schools	99.5%		99.5	1^st of 204 public elementary schools	99.5%		90.7	92.6	94.4	92.6	96.3	96.3	94.4	95.7	96.3	$6,141	$922	$5,218
Susan B. Anthony Elementary - 66	Public	PK, KG-5	2000 S Dakota Ave	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-4560	555	34	16.4	43.2%	319 (57.5%)	83 (15.0%)	53 (9.5%)	13 (2.3%)	32 (5.8%)	3 (0.5%)	52 (9.4%)	28.4	155^th of 201 public elementary schools	22.9%		37.4	137^th of 204 public elementary schools	32.8%	18	44.3	39.5	34.3	39.4	45.7	42.1	28.6	38.9	28.6	$10,296	$1,083	$9,213
Bridges At Horace Mann - 52	Public	K-5	1401 E 26th St	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 367-6190	52	14	3.6	71.2%	26 (50.0%)	10 (19.2%)	6 (11.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (15.4%)								(n/a)		15.4		10.5		7.7		7.9		$12,098	$1,599	$10,499
Sonia Sotomayor Elementary - 65	Public	PK, KG-5	1510 S Lake Ave	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-4655	676	36	18.9	11.1%	525 (77.7%)	11 (1.6%)	109 (16.1%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	25 (3.7%)	82.6	21^st of 201 public elementary schools	89.6%		87.1	13^th of 204 public elementary schools	93.6%	8	61.5	63.8	72.4	66.3	70.8	64.9	59.5	64.7	63.8	$9,973	$949	$9,024
Lowell Elementary - 28	Public	K-5	710 W 18th St	Sioux Falls	57104	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(605) 367-8378	358	30	12.0	73.7%	115 (32.1%)	63 (17.6%)	101 (28.2%)	1 (0.3%)	40 (11.2%)	1 (0.3%)	37 (10.3%)	18.3	177^th of 201 public elementary schools	11.9%		31.5	149^th of 204 public elementary schools	27.0%	28	27.7	35.3	28.6	31.0	34.1	36.8	25.0	32.2	28.6	$11,327	$2,344	$8,983
Laura Wilder Elementary - 31	Public	K-5	2300 S Lyndale Ave	Sioux Falls	57105	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-4570	448	31	14.2	48.7%	233 (52.0%)	67 (15.0%)	53 (11.8%)	4 (0.9%)	38 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (11.8%)	18.7	175^th of 201 public elementary schools	12.9%		19.9	176^th of 204 public elementary schools	13.7%	1	40.3	29.2	27.9	32.3	53.2	23.6	24.6	33.3	18.0	$10,261	$1,139	$9,122
Teachwell Elementary and Intermediate - 09	Public	K-5	715 E 14th St	Sioux Falls	57104	Minnehaha County	East Dakota Educational Cooperative	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-7680	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
John Harris Elementary - 23	Public	PK, KG-5	3501 E 49th St	Sioux Falls	57103	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 371-4111	706	39	18.0	15.9%	574 (81.3%)	35 (5.0%)	28 (4.0%)	7 (1.0%)	12 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (6.9%)	80.6	25^th of 201 public elementary schools	87.6%		79.7	26^th of 204 public elementary schools	87.3%	1	71.7	65.8	68.0	68.5	74.3	69.4	49.5	65.1	51.6	$9,817	$1,032	$8,786
Eugene Field A+ Elementary - 16	Public	K-5	501 S Highland Ave	Sioux Falls	57103	Minnehaha County	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(605) 367-6160	413	28	14.8	30.0%	288 (69.7%)	31 (7.5%)	31 (7.5%)	5 (1.2%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	54 (13.1%)	42.2	122^nd of 201 public elementary schools	39.3%		39	132^nd of 204 public elementary schools	35.3%	10	40.7	44.6	50.9	44.9	48.2	35.7	42.4	42.9	49.2	$9,966	$1,162	$8,803

Challenge Center - 51

Challenge Center - 51:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Sioux Falls School District 49-5:

What do you think?

Rank History for Challenge Center - 51

Rank History for all students at Challenge Center - 51

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenge Center - 51

Rank History for Female students at Challenge Center - 51

Rank History for Male students at Challenge Center - 51

Rank History for White students at Challenge Center - 51

Enrollment information for Challenge Center - 51

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Challenge Center - 51

Student/Teacher Ratio Challenge Center - 51

Per Pupil Expenditures for Challenge Center - 51

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenge Center - 51

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Challenge Center - 51

Robert Frost Elementary - 18