Orland Park Senior Recognized As National Hispanic Scholar

ORLAND PARK, IL — An Orland Park senior from Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School has been recognized as a scholar through the National Hispanic Recognition Program. Alena Pedroza scored in the top 2.5 percent among Hispanic and Latino PSAT/NMSQT test takers in the region.

Alena is a member of National Honors Society and a Catherine McAuley Honors Scholar, which is a program that recognizes superior academic achievement. She also is a member of the Math Macs and has played volleyball for the Mighty Macs for three years. Outside of school, Alena plays club volleyball and assists with tournaments for local great school teams. She is involved with Orland Park Baseball for All, a student-led organization with the goal to build an all-inclusive baseball field. Alena is a graduate of Cardinal Joseph Bernadin grade school.

Olivia “Rosie” Wantuck, of Oak Lawn, was also recognized by NHRP.

The NHRP recognizes approximately 5,000 Hispanic/Latino juniors each year from among the more than 400,000 juniors who take the PSAT. As with the National Merit Scholarship Program, NHRP uses the junior year PSAT/NMSQT as the qualifying test.