Berlin High School Well Represented On College Board Awards List

Press release from Berlin High School:

09/12/2022

BERLIN, CT — Berlin High School announced this week that three seniors have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs.

Those honored were Noah Arce-Caliskan, Dominic Mongillo and Jameson Urrunaga, who are recipients of the National Hispanic Recognition Award.

These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors and connect students with universities across the country, helping them to stand out during the admissions process.

This is the first time that students from Berlin High have earned this recognition.

From advanced and honors to AP and University of Connecticut ECE courses, Arce-Caliskan has challenged himself academically since entering Berlin High School.

He has earned numerous academic awards including the Yale Club and Scholarship Foundation of Hartford Book Awards and has regularly achieved High Honors status throughout high school.

His artistic talents have been recognized with exhibitions in the Berlin Public School District art show and he was a contender for a Scholastic Art Award.

He is a member of Upbeat, Habitat for Humanity, the Coding Club, and is a math tutor.

In addition to rigorous academics, Arce-Caliskan has been actively involved in multiple sports including track, the bike team, and soccer for which he earned a spot on the Central Connecticut Conference All-Academic Team.

Arce-Caliskan has been employed as a landscaper and at a floral shop.

After graduation he plans to study computer science at UConn in the hopes of becoming a software developer.

Mongillo has taken advantage of extensive AP and UConn ECE course offerings and has consistently earned high honors status throughout high school.

He has been a member of the Bike Team, Bike Club, and Ski Club. One of the highlights of Mongillo’s time in high school is as a founding member of Berlin High’s new Ultimate Frisbee club sport.

He said he hopes this new team lives on after he and his fellow Class of 2023 co-founding members graduate.

Mongillo is considering either pursuing an engineering degree or, more likely, attending trade school after high school.

Academically, Urrunaga has excelled in a rigorous academic program, enrolling in many Advanced Placement and UConn ECE courses while attending both Berlin High School and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts.

He has earned high honors status and received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence as a middle schooler.

Urrunaga is a member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 441, where he has held several leadership positions including Senior Patrol Leader.

He is currently pursuing the rank of Eagle Scout.

Urrunaga has been involved in Berlin High’s Upbeat peer leadership program.

He plans to pursue a degree in teaching or political science upon graduation from high school.

“We’re thrilled that our students have earned this recognition. We are very proud of them for their hard work, effort and achievement in their classrooms and on College Board assessments,” said Eileen Eustis, Berlin High School principal. “My hope is that this recognition will open doors to various opportunities for Noah, Dominic, and Jamie.”

To be eligible, students 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.

“We want to honor the hard work of these students through the College Board National Recognition Programs. This program creates a way for colleges and scholarship programs to connect directly with underrepresented students who they are hoping to reach,” said Tarlin Ray, College Board senior vice president of BigFuture.

“We hope the award winners and their families celebrate this prestigious honor and it helps them plan for their big future.”

This press release was produced by Berlin High School. The views expressed here are the author’s own.