McKinney, Texas – The advent of fall is accompanied each year not only by picturesque foliage, football and festive gatherings but also by the administration of the annual Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT©).

Across the country, about 1.5 million high school juniors make their way to testing centers to sit for the exam, which serves as an initial screen of entrants into the National Merit Scholarship Program, a competition that can lead to academic recognition, college scholarships and the prestigious title of National Merit Scholar.

This fall, officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of 17 McKinney ISD seniors whose results on the 2021 PSAT/NMSQT earned them recognition as Commended Scholars and 4 who earned the title of National Merit Semifinalist.

In addition, College Board announced the names of 25 MISD juniors honored in the National African American Recognition Program, 40 who were honored in the National Hispanic Recognition Program and 2 who earned distinction in the National Indigenous Recognition Program for their exceptional performance on the exam.

Each honor earned by these students represents not only a remarkable academic achievement, but also tremendous focus, determination and hard work.

“We are so proud of our students in receiving this wonderful academic accomplishment,” said Dr. Javetta Jones Roberson, MISD Secondary Coordinator of Advanced Academics & Gifted/Talented. “We have representation for National Merit and the College Board’s National Recognition Program at all three of our high schools, which is phenomenal! We look forward to continuing to help support these students and their future endeavors as they positively impact our school, local and global community.”

National Merit Semifinalists

National Merit Scholarship Corporation has named approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program, or approximately one-third of the 50,000 highest scoring students. These academically talented high school seniors represent fewer than 1 percent of the nation’s high school graduating seniors and will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill requirements beyond their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. Over 90 percent of Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and about half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

McKinney Boyd National Merit Semifinalists
Allyson Burgess
Ashley Xue

McKinney High School National Merit Semifinalist
Rachel Hiestand

McKinney North High School National Merit Semifinalist
Jason Zapanta

McKinney Boyd National Merit Semifinalists: (l-r) Allyson Burgess and Ashley Xue

McKinney High School National Merit Semifinalist: Rachel Hiestand

McKinney North National Merit Semifinalist: Jason Zapanta

National Merit Commended Scholars

Of the approximately 1.5 million students who take the PSAT/NMSQT, some 34,000 of the highest scoring entrants—representing roughly the top 2 percent—receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise. Commended Scholars are named on the basis of a nationally applied Selection Index score.

Although Commended Scholars do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, some of these students do become candidates for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.

McKinney Boyd National Merit Commended Scholars
Niloofar Adib
Christopher Ambroziak
Madilyn Eckenrode
Emory Goodman
Matteo Greco
Nayla Hamdan
Ryan Juliano
William Manicom
Samantha Pickford
Gaia Tuval

McKinney North High School National Merit Commended Scholars
William Hobbs
Rachel Kenealey
Nathan Liow
Rishab Maheshwari
Benjamin Ritterbusch
Emily Shaver
Nancy Yeung

McKinney Boyd National Merit Commended Scholars: (l-r, front row) Emory Goodman, Gaia Tuval, Nayla Hamdan, Niloofar Adib, (second row) Ryan Juliano, Christopher Ambroziak, Madilyn Eckenrode, (back row) Matteo Greco, William Manicom (Not available for photograph: Samantha Pickford)

McKinney North National Merit Commended Scholars: (l-r, front row) Rachel Kenealey, Rishab Maheshwari, Emily Shaver, Nancy Yeung, (back row) William Hobbs, Nathan Liow, Benjamin Ritterbusch

College Board National Recognition Programs

The College Board National Recognition Programs create pathways to college for students from underrepresented communities by awarding them academic honors and connecting them with universities across the country. Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT and are African American, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous or attend school in a rural area or small town, may be invited to apply for academic recognition as part of the College Board National Recognition Programs. Sophomores and juniors are score eligible if they score in the top 10 percent on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 within program by state. They are also score eligible if they score a 3 or higher on two or more distinct AP Exams in the eligible exam periods.

College Board National African American Recognition Program

McKinney Boyd High School National African American Recognition Honorees
Grace Garner
Leila Garrett
Kendrick Hines
Kaliyah Moore
Jaidyn Rivera
Juilyn Rivera
Isaiah Williams

McKinney High School African American Recognition Honorees
Syniah Abeyta
Kailee Nichols
Jordan Sexton

McKinney North High School African American Recognition Honorees
Kofi Asamoah
Kennedy Beckham
Johnathan Dorsey
Sean Kessner
Nyah Love
Gabrielle McPherson
Tonderai Mukahanana
Camille Murray
Michelle Njonkou
Imani Onsotti
Morgan Tucker
Aniya Tubbs
David Walker
Jayden Walker
Diego White

McKinney Boyd National African American Recognition Program Honorees: (l-r) Juilyn Rivera, Kaliyah Moore, Isaiah Williams, Grace Garner, Jaidyn Rivera (Not available for photo: Kendrick Hines)

McKinney Boyd National African American Recognition Program Honoree: Leila Garrett

McKinney High School National African American Recognition Program Honorees: (l-r) Jordan Sexton and Kailee Nichols

McKinney High School National African American Recognition Program Honoree: Syniah Abeyta

McKinney North National African American Recognition Program Honorees: (l-r, front row) Aniya Tubbs, Nyah Love, Tonderai Mukahanana, Camille Murray, Gabrielle McPherson, Michelle Njonkou, Kennedy Beckham, Morgan Tucker (back row) David Walker, Johnathan Dorsey, Kofi Asamoah, Diego White, Jayden Walker, Imani Onsotti, Sean Kessner

College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program

McKinney Boyd High School National Hispanic Recognition Honorees
Anthony Aguero-Bautista
Francisco Collados
Cynthia Dominguez
Andrea Del Campo
Sebastian Del Castillo
Matteo Greco
David Johnson
Carol Kegley
Ashley Lopez
Ava Maestas
Jazmyn Mendez
Joshua Miksits
Colin Pacheco
Abigail Sales
Reid Salvador
Lesly Tagle

McKinney High School National Hispanic Recognition Honorees
Syniah Abeyta
David Alvarado
Isabelle Luna
Ashley Mora
Dario Nunez
Carol Ochoa
Natalie Rangel
Antonella Tovar

McKinney North High School National Hispanic Recognition Honorees
Kennedy Beckham
Sinelay Figueira
Evelyn France
Anthony Geiser
Sienna Goo
Nyah Love
Gabbi McPherson
Sofia Olivares
Miriam Osornia
Jonathan Rodriguez
Gabriela Solis
Joanna Torres
Aniya Tubbs
Virginia Williams
Blake Woodmansee
Jose Rojas Zamora

McKinney Boyd National Hispanic Recognition Program Honorees: (l-r, front row) Juilyn Rivera [Nat’l African American Recognition], Cynthia Dominguez, Andrea Del Campo, Jaidyn Rivera [Nat’l African American Recognition], Ashley Lopez, (second row) Carol Kegley, Ava Maestas, Jazmyn Mendez, Isaiah Williams [Nat’l African American Recognition] (third row) Sebastian Del Castillo, Reid Salvador, Anthony Aguero-Bautista (fourth row) Joshua Miksits, David Johnson (back row) Colin Pacheco, Matteo Greco (Not available for photo: Francisco Collados, Abigail Sales)

McKinney Boyd National Hispanic Recognition Program Honoree: Lesly Tagle

McKinney High School National Hispanic Recognition Program Honorees: (l-r, front row) Natalie Rangel, Isabelle Luna, Antonella Tovar, Ashley Mora (back row) David Alvarado, Dario Nunez

McKinney High School National Hispanic Recognition Program Honoree: Syniah Abeyta

McKinney High School National Hispanic Recognition Program Honoree: Carol Ochoa

McKinney North National Hispanic Recognition Program Honorees: (l-r, front row) Jose Rojas Zamora, Gabriela Solis, Nyah Love, Aniya Tubbs, Gabrielle McPherson, Sienna Goo, Joanna Torres, Evelyn France (back row) Miriam Osornia, Blake Woodmansee, Anthony Geiser, Jonathan Rodriguez, Sinelay Figueira, Sofia Olivares, Kennedy Beckham

McKinney North National Hispanic Recognition Program Honoree: Virginia Williams

College Board National Indigenous Recognition Program

McKinney High School Indigenous Recognition Honoree
Weston Shelley

McKinney North High School Indigenous Recognition Honoree
Virginia Williams

McKinney High School National Indigenous Recognition Program Honoree: Weston Shelley

McKinney North National Indigenous Recognition Program Honoree: Virginia Williams

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