Students who have earned commended or semi-finalist status in the National Merit Scholar and National Achievement Scholar competitions were honored by Conard and West Hartford Public Schools administrators.

By Ronni Newton

Eleven high-achieving Conard High School students were recently honored at the school’s second annual National Merit Scholar Breakfast.

On Oct. 17, Conard Principal Julio Duarte invited the school’s assistant principals and guidance counselors, as well as West Hartford Public Schools Superintendent Tom Moore, assistant superintendents Nancy DePalma and Andy Morrow, and Guidance Department Supervisor Tor Fiske, to join the students and their parents for the celebration.

“This is a great chance to celebrate our students’ accomplishments,” Duarte said. Out of the 1.5 million students who took the 2013 PSATs, representing 250,000 high schools, the nine commended students from Conard were among the top 34,000. As a National Merit Scholar semi-finalist, Alec Ferguson-Hull is one of approximately 16,000, and National Achievement Scholar sem-finalist Huda Samakaab is one of approximately 1,600 in the country to receive those honors.

Duarte praised the students for not only their performance on the PSATs, but also their volunteer work in the community, and work on the musical stage and athletic field. “I know how much time and how much effort you put into it,” he said.

Moore told the students and their families that when West Hartford gets named to “best of” lists, it is because of what the students do. “Instead of just a congratulations, I really say thank you,” said Moore.

From left: Katherine Riedling, Huda Samakaab, Alec Ferguson-Hull, Kelsey Hammond, Isabella Lefante, Nickolas Hartman, Elodie Currier, Isaac Oda-Bayliss, Madison Gaetano, and Principal Julio Duarte. Missing from photo: Miranda Litke and Samuel Prescott. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

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