Howell High School senior Luke Bonanni earned the National Merit Commended Scholar Recognition. He is the only person in this year’s graduating class to receive this honor.
“I felt very surprised and excited to find out that I received the National Merit recognition. It was a great feeling to hear that my hard work had allowed me to reach a strong score,” Bonanni said.
This accolade is received by scoring in the top 2-3% of PSAT/NMSQT test takers, with an average of about 34,000 students nationwide receiving this honor every year. Most notably, Bonanni’s older sister, Elisabeth Bonanni, was Howell High School’s first National Merit Finalist in 2022.
“I am so proud of all of the hard work Luke put into this achievement. However, I am even more proud that he carries himself with such kindness and humility,” older sister Elisabeth Bonanni said.
Students who receive this honor find out about it by having Letters of Commendation sent to them through their high schools. While Bonanni will not continue in the National Merit Scholarship due to the tiers of competition of who continues, these students are still recognized for their outstanding ability and potential success in college.
“I think Luke is unique because he is willing to push himself hard and has pushed himself hard and sees the value in taking his time and dedicating it to his studies because he knows that is an investment that will pay off in the future,” Howell High School Principal Jason Schrock said.
Throughout his studies for the PSAT/NMSQT, Bonanni found some resources that he could use during the preparation process. Citing Khan Academy, Bonanni utilized their materials to help prepare himself.
“The resource that gave me the best preparation was Khan Academy. Since this tool is directly affiliated with CollegeBoard, I found that it offered questions and help videos that were true to the actual exams. Bluebook was also a great app for my studying because it allowed me to take practice tests and review my performance afterward,” Bonanni said.
This recognition expands his options for potential institutions and provides access to additional scholarship opportunities.
“The Commended Scholar recognition has made me feel more confident as I prepare for the next chapter of my education. College is very likely in my future, and I feel optimistic about submitting my applications after receiving this award. On a personal level, it has served as an encouragement and increased my motivation to continue with the same academic effort moving forward,” Bonanni said.
Bonanni’s commitment to excellence has not gone unnoticed by Howell High School faculty.
“Well, to my understanding, he wants to be a medical doctor, and I can see tremendous bedside manners, being encouraging to patients, even in tough situations, and also having the capacity mentally to direct his knowledge and emotions in the right direction so that the outcome is excellence,” Howell High School guidance counselor Mr. Eric Clifton said.
With a career path in mind, Bonanni is focused on finding a program that supports his academic interests and his overall well-being.
“My hope for college is that I will find a major or program that matches my interests very well and that I will be at a school that not only helps me to improve academically but as a whole person. I believe the Commended Scholar award will increase my admissions and scholarship opportunities and open new doors no matter where my path may lead,” Bonanni said.
Bonanni’s success in obtaining this recognition reflects an accomplishment that other Howell High School students could attain.
“I think it’s a good representation of what our students are capable of. I think more students can qualify for this when I think about what it took to get Luke there. He is a student of very high academic achievement. But I think he did well reflecting and honoring our student body,” Mr. Schrock said.
