National Merit Commended Students and John & Abigail Adams Scholars

Today I had the distinct pleasure of informing 51 of our students that they have achieved academic honors. 
 
I am happy to announce that five Nipmuc students have been recognized as Commended Students for their achievement on the PSAT.  I was proud to inform seniors Jesse Arsenault, Samuel Chiburis, Maia Hibbett, Kayleigh Kearnan, and Laura Ng that they are receiving this award.
 
In 2012 over 1.5 million students participated in the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This standardized test which is offered by the College Board is often used as an opportunity to prepare for the SAT as well as a way to get feedback on college readiness. For a select percentage of test takers, however, this assessment provides a chance to qualify for recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).  
 
As Commended Students, this group of Nipmuc scholars has ranked among the top five percent of all test takers. When we met I congratulated them and thanked them for their work. This achievement distinguishes them not only in our school, but also in our state and nationally as exceptional students. "The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented a spokesperson for NMSC . "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation.  We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."

Nipmuc's Adams Scholars

I am also pleased to announce that 51 of Nipmuc's class of 2014 have qualified to receive the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship for their high academic achievement on the MCAS tests. As Adams Scholars these students scored in the top 25% of their graduating class. This award entitles our students to four years of free tuition upon their acceptance to a participating Massachusetts state university, or a community college.
 
Congratulations to the following students for their exceptional achievement:  Catherine Adcock, Jesse Arsenault, Nicholas Bertrand, Zachary Boudrot, Nicole Bozzini, Kyle Braile, Aislyne Calianos, Theodore Carey, Samuel Chiburis, Demetrius Chokshi-Fox, Alisha Colaianni, Page Colombo, Peter Davey, Matthew Dias, Lauren Drainville, Wesley Dumas, Walter Esker, Alexandra Figore, Drew Franzosa, Joseph Gallagher, Tiffany Griffith, Leigh Hamlet, David Hanson, Rachel Hetu, Maia Hibbett, Karlie Jango, Kayleigh Kearnan, Erin Kelly, Lily Kerxhalli-Kleinfeld, Madeline Killeen, Melanie Kossuth, Samantha Maneri, Nicole Mazzola, Molly Meath, Jonathan Morris, Thomas Mulgrew, Rachel Murphy, Laura Ng, Matthew Nichols, Kelly O'Donnell, Taylor Olson, Rachel Plante, Shanleigh Reardon, McKenna Reilly, Rachel Sanborn, Lisa Slavin, Katelyn Soucey, Ryan Sullivan, David Triggs, Rose Wiklund, Emily Wojtowicz.