Two Hull High School Seniors Recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation

HULL — Superintendent Judith Kuehn and Principal Michael Knybel are pleased to announce that Hull High School seniors Matthew Sullivan and Austin Bongo have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Matthew Sullivan
Matthew Sullivan has been named a Commended Student in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. 

Sullivan has played in the band since sixth grade in addition to two years of theater. He has also been in student government every year of high school and has been a National Honor Society member since last year.

“I’m very honored to receive this award. I think I work hard, and it’s nice to be recognized for it,” he said.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2023 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2023 competition by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Austin Bongo
Austin Bongo has been awarded with Academic Honors from the College Board National Recognition Program.

Bongo is a National Honor Society student, and plays football, track and lacrosse for HHS.

“I feel honored and grateful to be able to receive this recognition, for it is symbolic of the hard work I have put into school this past year,” he said. 

National Recognition Program grants award underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them meaningfully connect to colleges and stand out during the admissions process. Colleges and scholarship programs identify students awarded National African American, Hispanic, Indigenous and/or Rural/Small Town Recognition through College Board’s Student Search Service.

Students who may be eligible have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams; and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigenous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town.

“The entire Hull High School community congratulates Matthew and Austin on being recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation,” Principal Knybel said. “These awards are a testament to the hard work they have put towards their studies and they serve as tremendous ambassadors for our schools.”

To learn more about the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, click here.