17 Jersey Community High School Students Recognized for Academic Success

JERSEYVILLE - Seventeen students at Jersey Community High School have received honors through the College Board National Recognition Programs.

These programs recognize students for their academic excellence and connect them to scholarship programs, colleges and universities, which often send recruitment letters to awardees. As an academic honor, students’ applications are also boosted by the recognition.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for the great work they’ve been doing,” JCHS Principal Dr. Jason Brunaugh said. “This one award opens up full-ride scholarship opportunities for our students to a variety of universities, and we are excited for their future endeavors.”

To be eligible for the College Board National Recognition Programs, students must attend school in a rural area or identify as Latino, Hispanic, Black, African American, Native or Indigenous. They also need a GPA of 3.5 or higher and high scores on College Board exams. Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 tests must have assessment scores within the top 10% of their state, or they need to earn a score of three or higher on two or more AP Exams.

The strict criteria demonstrates the hard work that students have put in throughout their high school career. Tarlin Ray, who oversees the BigFuture program through College Board, noted that the recognition from College Board highlights that work and elevates college and scholarship applications for hopeful students.

“It’s becoming increasingly hard for students to be ‘seen’ during the college recruitment process,” Ray said. “This is a benefit not only for students but also for colleges and universities committed to recruiting diverse and talented students.”

In a press release, Brunaugh expressed pride for the 17 JCHS students and commended their dedication. The school also encouraged eligible sophomore and junior students to apply when applications open again.

“There’s so much that makes our students unique, and receiving this honor reinforces this as an asset for their future,” Brunaugh added. “To have seventeen students recognized is very special and it is a testament to dedicated teachers, hard-working students, and supportive families working together to make big things happen.”

The following JCHS students received the National Rural and Small Town Award:

• Anna Dial
• Connor Chin
• Cora Schroeder
• Elena Benner
• Elise Noble
• Evan Lacy
• Grace Shalley
• Johnathan Wells
• Kathleen Dougherty
• Kendal Lacy
• Lauren Lyons
• Maddilyn Harp
• Mary Higgins
• Merris McDuffie
• Sofia Hernandez-Lamer
• Vivian Dong
• Zoey Little

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