Long Beach Seniors Earn National Recognitions

Submitted by Long Beach School District

Two Long Beach High School seniors were identified nationally for their academic potential.

Julia Berkowitz and Vanessa Tate were both honored by the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program, which distinguishes the highest-scoring students of Hispanic/Latino descent who took the PSAT during their junior year. Tate was additionally commended for her PSAT results by the National Merit Scholarship Program’s National Achievement Program, an academic competition that awards outstanding Black American students.

While 250,000 students entered the National Hispanic Recognition Program by taking the PSAT, only 5,000 earned the acknowledgment that Berkowitz and Tate received.

Of the 160,000 students who qualified for the National Achievement Program, Tate is among 4,700 to have been recognized.

Berkowitz is a member of the National Honor Society, Swim Team and Best Pals organization. She plays violin in the Symphonic Orchestra and serves as an editor for the school’s literary magazine, Fragments. Tate is a member of the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society. She plays violin in the Chamber Orchestra and participates in Model Congress and the Forensics Club.

Berkowitz and Tate are both International Baccalaureate Diploma Program candidates who completed six IB classes last year and are taking six currently. The IB Diploma Program presents a challenging curriculum designed to prepare students to meet the academic demands of college while becoming thoughtful, caring and active citizens.