Altamont Seniors Pierce, Vance earn National College Board Honors

Altamont School seniors Riley Pierce and Ryan Vance have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. Both received National African American Recognition Awards (NAARA)from the programs, which celebrate students' hard work in high school and showcase their strong academic performance.

To qualify for the various College Board honors, students must:

• Earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Score within their state’s top 10% on PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earn a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams in 9th and 10th grade.
• Attend school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic American/Latino, or Indigenous/Native.

Eligible students apply for the awards via the College Board’s Big Future site.

“We are incredibly proud of Riley and Ryan,” said Jack Fitch, Altamont’s Director of College Counseling. “Their accomplishments are a testament to their work ethic and ability. Further, they also speak to the education and preparation they receive at Altamont, and will serve to help distinguish them as these scholars continue to navigate the college search and application process.”

In fact, the College Board honors are timed specifically to help students as they apply for higher education admission. 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,” said Tarlin Ray, Senior Vice President of BigFuture at College Board. “We’re exceptionally proud of the National Recognition Programs for celebrating students who are at times overlooked but have shown their outstanding academic abilities. This is a benefit not only for students but also for colleges and universities committed to recruiting diverse and talented students.”