College Board National Recognition Programs Honors TUFSD Students

Ten students at Sleepy Hollow High School earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. The annual National Recognition Programs honor the strong academic performances of underrepresented students. These awards provide students the ability to list this academic achievement on their college applications to help them stand out among other candidates.

In order to be eligible, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. They’re in the top 10% of PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 assessment takers in each state for each program or have earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP exams. They either attend school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Indigenous/Native.

72,000 students from across the country earned academic honors from the College Board’s National Recognition Programs with ten of those students coming from the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns. Alexander Adams received the National African American Recognition Award, John Donaula, Annabella Luciano, Jennifer Nieves, Marina Arakaki Orsin, Bianca Lopez-Parnetti, Cynthia Pintado, Edwin Rojas Picon, and Kayla Rojas received the National Hispanic Recognition Award, and Arturo Almanzar received the National Hispanic Recognition Award and the National Indigenous Award.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for the great work they’ve been doing. We’re proud of their strong academic performance in the classroom and on College Board assessments like the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and AP exams,” said Dr. Raymond Sanchez Superintendent of the Tarrytown Union Free School District. “There’s so much that makes our students unique, and receiving this honor reinforces this as an asset for their future.”

The programs not only benefit students when applying to colleges but also assists colleges looking to recruit students through College Board’s Student Search Service. Colleges and organizations utilizing the 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. We’re exceptionally proud of the National Recognition Programs for celebrating students who are at times overlooked but have shown their outstanding academic abilities,” said Tarlin Ray, senior vice president of BigFuture at College Board. “This is a benefit not only for students but also for colleges and universities committed to recruiting diverse and talented students.”

Eligible students are invited to apply on BigFuture during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the start of the following school year. Students can apply to four programs: National African American Recognition Program, National Hispanic Recognition Program, National Indigenous Recognition Program, and/or National Rural/Small Town Recognition Program.