Pictured L to R: Wyatt Imhof, Andrew Urrutia, Jaida Tripp, Emerson Hill, Brady Sitler, Noah Colby, Grace Finch, Maria Marquez
Program recognizes over 90,000 high-performing students to help open opportunities for their future.
Students at Lake Oconee Academy earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Program. The programs celebrate the hard work of thousands of high school students nationwide to help them showcase their strong academic performance.
For the first time, the academic honors recognize first-generation students, in addition to rural and small town, Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic/or Latino students. The program opens college access for more students because many institutions use the awards for their recruitment efforts.
At Lake Oconee Academy, 8 students were awarded: Noah Colby, Grace Finch, Emmy Hill, Wyatt Imhoff, Maria Marquez, Brady Sitler, Jaida Tripp, and Drew Urrutia
“We’re thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for the great work they’ve been doing. We’re proud of their strong academic performance in the classroom and on College Board assessments like the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, and AP® Exams,” said Executive Director, Dr. Brad Bowling. “There’s so much that makes our students unique, and this honor reinforces their individuality and achievements as assets for their future.
Eligible students must meet the following criteria to qualify:
Earn a GPA of B+ (equal to at least 3.3 or 87%-89%) or higher.
PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 assessment scores that are within the top 10% of assessment takers in each state for each award program or earned a score of 3 or higher on 2 or more AP Exams by the end of 10th grade.
Attend school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic American/Latino, Indigenous/Native American, or a first-generation college student.
The program expanded this year to include a fifth award. Over 35,000 students nationwide received the inaugural National First-Generation Recognition Program Award.
Senior, Grace Finch, is among the first to be recognized as a First-Generation student. “It makes me feel confident knowing that I am taking the right steps to further my education that will better myself for the future. I'm very grateful to have these opportunities to even go to college and do something that my parents never got to do,” says Finch.
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.
“This year, the National Recognition Programs are recognizing more students than ever so that the outstanding academic abilities of more than 90,000 deserving students are not overlooked as they plan for their future,” said Amy Reitz, senior vice president of BigFuture at College Board. “We’re proud to support colleges and universities that are committed to supporting all students, and our program offers one way they can strengthen their recruitment efforts to students that will thrive on their campus.”