Ten Mount Pleasant High School students have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them meaningfully connect to colleges and stand out during the admissions process. Colleges and scholarship programs identify students awarded National African American, Hispanic, Indigenous and/or Rural & Small Town Recognition through College Board’s Student Search Service.

Receiving awards from the College Board National Recognition programs are Odalys Adame, Rossy Banegas, Michelle Calderon, Devin Castaneda, Kyle Cates, Connelly Cowan, Perla Guzman, Katie Ochoa, Luiz Olvera, and Abril Ramirez. All ten were named National Rural & Small Town Scholars. Adame, Banegas, Calderon, Castaneda, Guzman, Ochoa, Olvera, and Ramirez also earned the National Hispanic Scholar designation with Guzman earning an Indigenous Scholar award as well.

Students who may be eligible have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams; and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town.

Eligible students will be invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year and will be awarded at the beginning of the next school year. Students will receive their awards in time to include them on their college and scholarship applications.

“By awarding students who excel academically with honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs, our aim is to create pathways to college for underrepresented students,” said Steve Bumbaugh, College Board senior vice president of College & Career Access. “We hope this inspires many more students to work toward this recognition.

Photo –
1st row L to R: Rossy Banegas, Abril Ramirez, Michelle Calderon
2nd row L to R: Luiz Olvera, Odalys Adame, Katie Ochoa
3rd row L to R: Devin Castaneda, Kyle Cates, Connelly Cowan, Perla Guzman