Midlothian, IL – Students in Bremer High School District 228 received academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Program. The programs recognize the hard work of thousands of high school students across the country, helping them demonstrate strong academic performance.

For the first time, the academic awards also recognize first-generation, rural and small-town students, as well as Black, Indigenous and Hispanic/or Latino students. The program opens up college entry for more students as many institutions use the awards in their recruiting efforts.
19 students at Bremen High School received awards. At Tinley Park High School, 8 students received awards. Hillcrest High School had 24 students recognized. Oak Forest High School had 10 students.

The Bremen award winners are: Kaitlyn Blomfeldt, Frida Bocanegra Macias, Dulce Camargo, Cassidy Carten, Yoseline De La Rosa, Christopher DeHaas, Devyn Ferguson, Jacen Gertos, Juan Gomez, Asia Hawkins, Nataly Hernandez, Kamaya Johnson, Yoselin Martinez, Bailee McFall, Jonathan Murzyn, Jennifer Negrete, Andrik Rios, Johanna Telles and Cristian Zarate.

“We are very proud of our students and the commitment they have shown to academic success,” said Dr. Jessica Rucinski, principal of the Bremen high school. “The students being recognized this year have demonstrated success in both the classroom and on College Board exams. The future is bright for each of these students and we are pleased to see their efforts recognized by the College Board!”

The Tinley Park High School recipients are Cayden Booker, Alexis Burke, Betzaira Castaneda, Alejandro Cordero, Berenice Hernandez, Samantha Hesse, Najlaa Mansour and Monserrath Montoya.

“The students and staff at Tinley Park High School are incredibly proud of our students for receiving College Board recognition,” said Dr. Theresa Nolan, principal of Tinley Park High School. “Their achievement highlights the academic opportunities available to all of our Titan students. We wish all of our Titans continued academic success!”

The Hillcrest High School recipients are: Olivia Alexander, Serenity Arrington, Pashance Booth, Johnel Brown, Emily Corona, Daniel Davalos, Olamilekan Fabamigbe, Kenneth Francis, Journey Giddens, Sema J Grover, Liyah Jackson, Breyanah Lewis, Ariyah Lowery, Isabella Marshall , Caimora Montgomery, Ashani Moore, Julius Nicholson, Michael Okechukwu, Cydney Perry, Makayla Rupert, Micah Scott, Sosha Williams, Sidney Yancy and Ariana Zaragoza.

“Congratulations to the Hillcrest Hawks for their amazing academic achievements and recognition,” said Principal Ron Towner. “The Hillcrest community is so proud of all your accomplishments. Each of you has put in a lot of work to be great in the classroom, and your efforts have paid off. Keep it up and we look forward to everything you can achieve in the future.”

The Oak Forest High School recipients are: Savario Arvia, Scarlett Berrios, Emilia Dobrzyn, Jocelyn Esparza, Armeiah Girgis, Jordyn Klusacek, Jennifer Komolafe, Peter Maka, Ethan Nutile and Iyobosa Odiase.

“Oak Forest High School is pleased that the College Board is recognizing ten of our students through the National Recognition Program,” said Principal Jane Dempsey. “This program recognizes outstanding Black, Hispanic and first-generation students for their outstanding academic achievements. Congratulations on this recognition.”

Eligible students must meet the following criteria to qualify:
· Earn a GPA of B+ (equivalent to at least 3.3 or 87%-89%) or higher.
· PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 assessment scores, being in the top 10% of assessors in each state for each honors program or having achieved a score of 3 or higher on 2 or more AP exams by the end of 10th grade.
· Attend a school in a rural area or small town, or identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous/Native American, or a first-generation student.
The program was expanded this year to include a fifth prize. Over 35,000 students across the country received the inaugural National First-Generation Recognition Program Award.
Each year, students can check their eligibility on BigFuture® during their sophomore or junior year of college. At the beginning of the next school year, students receive their awards so that their communities can celebrate them and colleges can recruit them when they return to school for their junior or senior year. Thousands of nonprofit colleges and organizations using the College Board’s Student Search Service™ can connect with award winners during the recruiting process to learn more about their postsecondary programs.

“This year, the national recognition programs are recognizing more students than ever before, ensuring the outstanding academic abilities of more than 90,000 deserving students are not overlooked as they plan for the future,” said Amy Reitz, senior vice president of BigFuture at the College Board. “We are proud to support colleges and universities that are committed to supporting all students, and our program offers them a way to strengthen their recruiting efforts for students who will thrive on their campus.”

About Bremer Gymnasium District 228
Bremen High School District 228 is located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and serves the communities of Midlothian, Posen, Tinley Park, Markham, Hazel Crest, Country Club Hills and Oak Forest. District 228 serves over 5,000 students and employs 800 full- and part-time employees. Bremen High School in Midlothian opened its doors to students in September 1953. Since then, three additional schools have opened in District 228. Tinley Park High School opened in 1961; Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills opened in 1967. and Oak Forest High School opened in 1970. For more information, see https://www.bhsd228.com/