From left: Sarah Nimtz (senior), Megan Peter (senior), Danielle Hunt (senior), Kadence Arnold (senior), Kathryn Beagle (junior), Ryder Gangler (junior). (Photo courtesy)

SEBEWAING – Unionville-Sebewaing Area (USA) High School students received academic honors from the College Board Rural National Recognition Program. The programs recognize the hard work of thousands of high school students across the country, helping them demonstrate strong academic performance.

For the first time, the academic awards also recognize first-generation, rural and small-town students, as well as Black, Indigenous and Hispanic/or Latino students. The program opens up college entry for more students as many institutions use the awards in their recruiting efforts.

At USA High School, six students received awards; Kadence Arnold, Kathryn Beagle, Ryder Gangler, Danielle Hunt, Sarah Nimtz and Megan Peter.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for the great work they have done. We are proud of their strong academic performance in the classroom and on College Board exams such as the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10 and AP® exams,” said USA Principal Chuck Arnold. “There is so much that makes our students unique, and this award reinforces their individuality and achievements as an asset for their future.”

Eligible students must meet the following criteria to qualify:

• Earn a GPA of B+ (equivalent to at least 3.3 or 87%-89%) or higher.

• PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 assessment scores, being in the top 10% of assessors in each state for each honors program or having achieved a score of 3 or higher on 2 or more AP exams by the end of 10th grade.

• Attend a school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous/Native American, or a first-generation student.

The program was expanded this year to include a fifth prize. Over 35,000 students across the country received the inaugural National First-Generation Recognition Program Award.

Each year, students can check their eligibility on BigFuture® during their sophomore or junior year of college. At the beginning of the next school year, students receive their awards so that their communities can celebrate them and colleges can recruit them when they return to school for their junior or senior year. Thousands of nonprofit colleges and organizations using the College Board’s Student Search Service™ can connect with award winners during the recruiting process to learn more about their postsecondary programs.

“This year, the national recognition programs are recognizing more students than ever before, ensuring the outstanding academic abilities of more than 90,000 deserving students are not overlooked as they plan for the future,” said Amy Reitz, senior vice president of BigFuture at the College Board. “We are proud to support colleges and universities that are committed to supporting all students, and our program offers them a way to strengthen their recruiting efforts for students who will thrive on their campus.”