Principal Matthew Madding announced today that Senior Bethany Cartwright has been named Commended Student in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.

According to a press release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, “About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2015 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2015 competition by taking the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)”

Cartwright was presented with this prestigious award during school today, with classmates and her teacher looking on. “This is so unexpected!” Cartwright exclaimed as her picture was taken (shown above the story).