Tuscaloosa Academy Ninth Graders Earn National PreACT Honors

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa Academy (TA) announced Thursday its ninth grade class has earned national recognition through ACT’s PreACT Rising Stars Awards program, which honors students demonstrating strong early indicators of college readiness.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

The PreACT Rising Stars Awards program recognizes high-performing students based on assessment results and readiness for future academic success, signaling strong preparation for the ACT and college-level coursework.

TA freshman Caroline Lucas was top of the class by earning the Distinguished Scholar designation after scoring in the top 3% nationally on the PreACT 8/9 assessment.

School officials said 13% of Tuscaloosa Academy ninth graders were named Rising Scholars, placing in the next 4–10% nationwide, while 55% achieved Early Scholar status, ranking in the next 11–50% nationally.

“At Tuscaloosa Academy, our focus on rigorous instruction and intellectual curiosity empowers students to reach high benchmarks early and often,” Head of School Beckie Share said in a statement. “We are incredibly proud of Caroline and all of our Rising Stars. Their accomplishments reflect both their talent and the supportive learning environment at Tuscaloosa Academy.”

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com.