Aledo High School Seniors Receive Academic Recognition

September 25, 2024

Aledo ISD is celebrating impressive academic achievements of several Aledo High School seniors as nine students were recently recognized as either National Merit Semifinalists, National Merit Commended Scholars or AP Capstone Diploma recipients.

“We are extremely proud of these incredible academic achievements by our Aledo High School seniors,” AHS-DNG principal Michael Martinak said. “This kind of recognition is the result of many years of hard work by the students and the reflection of dozens of teachers and staff members and their unwavering support. These students are set up for a very successful future.”

National Merit Semifinalist

Senior Lauren Schoolfield was named a National Merit Semifinalist in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Over 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. National Merit Finalists will be notified in February.

National Merit Commended Scholars

Seniors Parker Ansley, Jackson Blake, Michael Delapp, Olivia Markham and Adelaide Martin were named National Merit Commended Scholars. Students who earn this designation have placed in the top 3-4% of all test-takers of the PSAT. 

AP Capstone Diploma recipients

Seniors Victoria Crews, Haley Roberson and Levi Zedler are among the district’s first-ever Advanced Placement Capstone diplomas recipients. Students earn an AP Capstone Diploma for scoring a 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing. AP Capstone comprises two AP courses—AP Seminar and AP Research—and is designed to complement and enhance the discipline-specific study in other AP courses. Student participation in the AP Capstone program has been steadily increasing, with over 100,000 students in over 2,500 schools worldwide taking part during the 2023-24 academic year.

AP Capstone is a College Board program that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges. Unlike traditional AP subject exams with a single end-of-year assessment, AP Seminar and AP Research assessments are project based and evaluate skills mastery through group projects, presentations, and individual essays completed throughout the year. Students are assessed on the critical thinking, research, collaboration, time management and presentation skills needed to complete their projects.

These Class of 2025 students - and also Class of 2024 graduates Jane Anderson, Cassidy Cole, Megan Loftin, Austin Martinez, Isabelle Morin, Lily Revard and Cassidy Cole and Class of 2023 graduates Marshall Anderson, Emma Brandenburg, Rachel Taylor, Riley Williams, McKinley Wilson and Henry Zedler - are Aledo ISD’s first-ever AP Capstone Diploma recipients.