A dozen Marion High School students have been honored by the College Board National Recognition Program.
Seniors Grace Carpenter and Derrick Simmons-Lollis both received a School Recognition Award; senior Lennon Cordell received a First-Generation Recognition Award and a School Recognition Award. For all three of these students, this was the second year in a row that they received a College Board award, having received the Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award in 2024. Seniors Gary Freiburger and Elijah Inskeep both received all three College Board awards this year, the First-Generation Recognition Award, Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award, and School Recognition Award. Juniors Aliya Cruz, Tate Duncan, Alyssa Earnest, Gabe Fisher, Micah Hawkins, Mary Herrington, and Jethe Paduga were honored with the Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award and the School Recognition Award.
These awards recognize these students’ hard work to prepare for college, and we are proud of them!
This program recognizes students in several groups historically underrepresented in the ranks of college-goers. It signifies outstanding academic achievement, and connects honorees with colleges and universities across the country. The awards can help students stand out during the admissions process and can also lead to scholarship opportunities. Colleges and scholarship programs can use the College Board’s Student Search Service to recruit students and identify potential candidates for scholarships targeted to the categories in which the College Board honors are awarded.
The College Board National Recognition Programs invites eligible students to apply for these awards during their sophomore or junior year. Beyond the award categories, potential eligibility criteria include a GPA of 3.3 or higher, high achievement on PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams by the end of 10th grade.
Every year, students can verify their eligibility on BigFuture during their sophomore or junior year. At the start of the next school year, students receive their awards for their communities to celebrate them and colleges to recruit them as they head back to school for their junior or senior year. Thousands of nonprofit colleges and organizations using College Board’s Student Search Service can connect with awardees during the recruitment process to share more about their postsecondary programs.
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of more than 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than 7 million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success, including the SAT, the Advanced Placement program, and BigFuture, a free online planning guide that helps all students take the right first step after high school. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools.