WHS seniors earn academic recognition for high test scores

“This exceptional academic achievement is the result of hard work by the students and teachers as well as support from parents and school leaders,” WISD Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Hanks said. “I think this shows the caliber of our students and the increasing challenges and rigor in our curriculum.”


WHS senior Christopher Walker was recognized as one of less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors who qualified as a National Merit® Semifinalist by the NMSC. He will now have an opportunity to earn one of 7,600 National Merit® Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring.


National Merit® Scholarship Commended Scholars included Ashtin Ballard, Tynan Holt, Bryant Huggins, Matthew T. Smith, and William Wood.


Commended Students represent more than two-thirds (about 34,000) of the approximately 50,000 high scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT®. These individuals are also named on the basis of a nationally-applied Selection Index score.


Commended Students are candidates for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.


Huggins was also recognized as one of 1,600 Semifinalists in the National Achievement® Scholarship Program, and he will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 Achievement Scholarship® awards worth about $2.5 million that will be offered next spring.


“Our District’s vision is to be a ‘world-class district of choice,’” WHS Principal Lynn Pool said, “and we have had a great history of students who have competed academically not only on a local level, but also on a national scale.”


The NMSC is an organization that recognizes and honors academically-talented students throughout the United States. Its goals are to promote a wider and deeper respect for learning in general and for exceptionally talented individuals in particular; to shine a spotlight on brilliant students and encourage the pursuit of academic excellence at all levels of education; and to stimulate increased support from organizations that wish to sponsor scholarships for outstanding scholastic talent.


The National Achievement® Scholarship Program, also conducted by NMSC, is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. More than 160,000 high school juniors from across the United States requested consideration in the 2015 National Achievement® Scholarship Program when they took the 2013 PSAT/NMSQT® test.


Honorees At a Glance:
National Merit® Semifinalist
Christopher Walker

National Merit® Commended Scholars
Ashtin Ballard, Tynan Holt, Bryant Huggins, Matthew T. Smith, and William Wood

National Achievement® Scholarship Program Semifinalist

Bryant Huggins



Picture Information

Pictured (from left) are Christopher Walker, Bryant Huggins, Matthew T. Smith, Tynan Holt, Ashtin Ballard, and William Wood.
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