Four Middle Township students are being recognized not only by their peers and teachers, but also nationally for their academic achievements during their time at MTSD.
Photo left, L-R: Justen Wen, Olivia Clarke, Sofia Jurusz, and Dylan Villano earned special recognition from the College Board; Photo right: Middle Township principal George West congratulates senior Sofia Jurusz for her National Merit Letter of Commendation.
Cape May Court House, NJ – Four Middle Township High School (MTHS) students are being recognized for their academic achievements during their junior and senior years at MTHS.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®) announced that Sofia Jurusz received a Letter of Commendation from the 2023 NMSC®.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation have been recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2023 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2023 competition by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).
Additionally, Jurusz and three other Middle Township High School students – Olivia Clarke, Dylan Villano and Justen Wen – have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. Clarke, Jurusz and Wen earned the National Rural and Small Town American Recognition Award (NRSTA) and Villano earned the National African American Recognition Award (NAARA).
The National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and that connect students with universities across the country, helping them to stand out during the admission process.
“We are very proud of these four students for their academic achievements,” said MTHS principal George West. “Our entire Middle Township community celebrates their positive attitudes and hard work.”
Students who may be eligible for the National Recognition Programs must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams. They are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town.
Clarke expects to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in statistics or applied mathematics. Jurusz plans to study environmental science and education. Villano will seek a degree in veterinary medicine, and Wen plans to become a computer science engineer so that he can build something that will impact the world in a positive way.
“Proud. We can’t use it enough. We’re so proud of the hard work we see our students put forward each day,” said MTSD Superintendent Dr. David Salvo. “This isn’t something that just happens overnight, countless hours, studying… we applaud their efforts and we’re honored to be part of the recognition.”
Eligible students apply during their sophomore or junior years and receive their awards at the beginning of the next school year, in time to include them on college and scholarship applications.