Students earn College Board National Recognition Awards
A total of 461 high school juniors and seniors have earned 587 College Board National Recognition Awards for their exceptional academic achievement. The College Board National Recognition Program awards academic honors to high-performing students, helping them stand out to colleges and celebrate their hard work.
The 2025 College Board National Recognition Program offers three award designations:
• School Recognition Award, a new addition that honors the top-performing students in high schools nationwide.
• First-Generation Recognition Award, honoring students on track to be the first in their family to complete college.
• Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award, which elevates students from high schools in smaller communities that are often less well known by colleges.
A full list of students earning recognitions.
The 15 Southwest Florida high schools that had students recognized include:
• Bonita Springs High School, 23 students
• Ida S. Baker High School, 16 students
• Cape Coral High School, 75 students
• Island Coast High School, 16 students
• Cypress Lake High School, 22 students
• Lehigh Senior High School, 28 students
• Dunbar High School, 26 Students
• Mariner High School, 18 students
• East Lee County High School, 15 students
• North Fort Myers High School, 37 students
• Estero High School, 19 students
• Riverdale High School, 30 students
• Fort Myers High School, 97 students
• South Fort Myers High School, seven students
• Gateway High School, 32 students
Students are eligible for national recognition in their 10th- and 11th-grade years. To qualify, students must, take the PSAT/NMSQT (10th, 11th), PSAT 10 (10th, and/or AP Exams (by the end of 10th grade); earn a cumulative GPA of B+ or higher (at least 3.3 or 87%-89%) by the time of submission; demonstrate further academic achievement: be one of the top 10% of test takers in their high school, among first-generation college students in their state, and/or among rural and small-town students in their state OR earn 3 or higher on two or more distinct AP Exams in the 9th and/or 10th grade.