Midway ISD students receive recognition
Several Midway ISD students have received recognition for their academic and athletic accomplishments.
The high school has received notice from the College Board that two students junior Taegan Cook, daughter of Michele Jansa and Steven Cook, and sophomore Brenlen Humpert son of Misti Wolf, have met the standard to apply for the award of the National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program from their PSAT scores. Pending verification of the minimum GPA, which they currently have, and their application which they have submitted, the designation will be made by the College Board in September. Rural students scoring in the top 10% per grade level by state on the PSAT and meeting the required GPA standard with a completed application receive this award.
The College Board’s recognition programs for academic accomplishment are among the most prestigious in the nation with three levels, NM Finalists, Commended Students, and underserved minorities which has four categories, one of which is for rural students. Students who make the cut for the Rural Recognition Program can also score high enough to be recognized at the next level which Taegan Cook did. With a score placing her in the top 50,000 students nationally of the more than 1.3 million juniors taking the test, she will be placed in the pool eligible for consideration to apply as a National Merit Semi-Finalist. From this pool roughly 16,000 with the highest scores adjusted per state will be designated as National Merit Semi-Finalists making them eligible to apply for the National Merit Finalist award. Those with a validating SAT score, and meeting additional academic standards and a completed application will be named as National Merit Finalists with the rest receiving the Commended Student recognition.
Although her official status won’t be known until September, based on past PSAT scores her score places her at the Commended level. If so, some Commended Students become candidates for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses. Regardless of final outcome, as a student scoring in the top 50,000 students nationally of the more than 1.3 million juniors taking the PSAT places her roughly in the top 3.8% of juniors, nationally.
Senior Dayton Leach, son of Derek and Tiffany Leach, was awarded the McKnight Leadership Scholarship at Oklahoma state University. An Eagle Scout, as an honor student he will pursue a career in the aviation industry as an Aerospace Administration and Operations major and was awarded a pilot slot in their pilot program, one of 85 chosen out of 485 applicants. Endowed by the McKnight family of Throckmorton for rural, out-of-state students with demonstrated academic ability and leadership potential with a record of community service, the McKnight Scholars Leadership Program is a competitively acquired program designed to develop future leaders. Valued at $78,000, the McKnight scholarship also includes a fully funded study abroad opportunity. When combined with the $52,000 general merit scholarship which waives out-of-state tuition, the highest award amount offered to entering freshmen, and the President’s Distinguished Scholarship totaling $10,000 means he essentially received a full-ride. In addition to his stellar academic record of 33 dual credit hours and an ACT in the 96th percentile, Dayton’s participation in the American Legion Boys State program, funded by the Henrietta American Legion Post 0018, was very beneficial in not only his application for the McKnight Scholarship but in the experience gained. Recognizing his character and leadership potential the program leaders invited him back to be a counselor next year, further recognition of his potential for future service and professional success.
Senior Christian Coker, son of NiCole and Shane Coker, who is also the boys’ coach for all sports and math teacher, had a stellar high school athletic career across multiple sports. Participating all four years in golf, tennis, cross country, basketball, and track he advanced out of district in all sports and more than once in several sports. In addition to advancing to the regional level as the district singles golf champion this year, he advanced to the state level twice in cross country and in tennis. Due to his all-around athletic ability and accomplishments across multiple sports he was named as the 2022 Nextstar Small School Sports Male Athlete of the Year, received All-State recognition in basketball, and was selected twice to the Red River 22 basketball team, which are the top five players of all levels of the 22 teams of this area.
However, it was his accomplishments in track across several events which are of special note. Advancing this year to the regional meet in high jump he then advanced to the state meet in long jump, triple jump, and the 200- and 400-meter dashes. Placing fourth in the 400-meter dash, he won the state meet in long jump, and won triple jump, making this his third triple jump state championship, also setting the state record for the longest non-wind assisted jump.
Combining his athletic talent and academic ability he will participate in the track program as a decathlete at the University of Texas at Arlington, an NCAA D1 program. In addition to his athletic ability he is also a top student, scoring in the 95th percentile on the ACT with a math subscore in the 97th percentile indicating excellent preparation for his chosen field of study. Aligning his dual enrollment courses with the core requirements of UTA, he will major in Civil Engineering graduating with 33 college hours for a substantial savings when combined with his athletic and academic merit scholarships.
Congratulations to all these students for their accomplishments which reflect very positively on the quality of academic, extracurricular, and vocational programming Midway ISD offers, the staff and parental support which made it possible, and most important the efforts of the students themselves.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Midway ISD students receive recognition
