Walt Whitman Stories

Whitman Celebrates 2023 National Recognition Awardees

Written by Ms. Lea Tyrrell | Jan 18, 2024 6:06:09 PM
Congratulations to Walt Whitman’s 2023 College Board’s National Recognition Programs awardees! This honor recognizes the strong academic achievements of underrepresented students in school and on assessments, and is run by the organization behind the SATs and the AP course program.
 
 
Students have to apply for the award that gives them the opportunity to get recognized by colleges that are actively looking for diverse talent. To be considered for the National Recognition Programs, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher; score in the top 10% of their state on the PSAT or earn a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams; identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Indigenous/Native, or attend high school in a rural area or small town.
 
 
Congratulations to the twelve Whitman students who have been recognized by the College Board for their academic excellence!
 
 
National Hispanic Recognition Awardees: Anthony Maraboli, Caroline Hidalgo, Christopher Martinez, Felipe Nunez, Helen Flores, Kaylee Vera, Lillian O’Phelan, and Nicholas Guillermo
 
National African American Recognition Awardees: Elana Denis, Felipe Nunez, Kaniya Bucknor and Venusmarlu Stewart
 
National Indigenous Recognition Awardee: Angelina Liclican
 
 
“We’re thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for the great work they’ve been doing. We’re proud of their strong academic performance in the classroom and on assessments like the PSAT and AP exams,” said Walt Whitman Interim Principal John Murphy. “There is so much that makes our students unique, and receiving this honor reinforces this as an asset for their future.”
 
 
Eligible students are invited to apply on BigFuture during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the start of the next school year in time to share their achievements in high school as they plan for the future. At the same time, colleges and organizations using College Board’s Student Search Service™ can connect directly with awardees during the recruitment process.
 
 
“It’s becoming increasingly hard for students to be ‘seen’ during the college recruitment process. We’re exceptionally proud of the National Recognition Programs for celebrating students who are at times overlooked but have shown their outstanding academic abilities,” said Tarlin Ray, senior vice president of BigFuture at College Board. “This is a benefit not only for students but also for colleges and universities committed to recruiting diverse and talented students.”