Joplin High School seniors Alissa Kean and Parker Williamson have achieved national recognition from the College Board, the not-for-profit organization that oversees the SAT college prep test, Advanced Placement courses and other programs that prepare high school students for postsecondary education.
College Board recognition programs celebrate students’ hard work in high school and showcase their strong academic performance. The academic honors are reserved for rural, Black, Indigenous or Latino students, and they are an opportunity for students to share their academic achievements with colleges and scholarship programs that are seeking to recruit diverse student populations.
Students are chosen for recognition based on earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher, while also achieving outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10 or AP exams.
“I am so proud of the drive and dedication our students demonstrated in order to earn this very prestigious recognition,” JHS Principal Randy Oliver said in a statement. “Tremendous work ethic will serve both of these students well as they continue their educational journey.”
Kean was honored as a National African American Recognition Award winner.
“I am very thankful to have received this award from College Board,” she said in a statement. “Black students’ academic achievements are sometimes pushed to the back burner, and it is great to have awards that recognize Black students from around the country for their academic success. With receiving this award, I want to encourage other Black students to research programs that will reward them for their accomplishments in the classroom.”
Williamson was recognized as a National Indigenous Award winner.
“My heritage has always been something I am proud of, and to see it aid (future prospects), alongside my academic achievement, is surreal,” he said in a statement.
