Student Earns National Merit Letter Of Commendation

(From Van Buren Local Schools)

Mr. Kevin Shoup, principal of Van Buren High School, announced that Nigel Woodall has been named a Commended Student in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.  Mr. Shoup presented a Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) to this scholastically talented senior.

“Nigel is a brilliant young man who is always willing to take on challenges and is determined to achieve academic excellence through hard work,” Principal Shoup said. 

Woodall is one of about 34,000 commended students throughout the nation being recognized for exceptional academic promise.  Although he will not continue in the 2025 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Woodall placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2025 competition by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

“Those being named commended students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. 

“These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation.  We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”