Reed-Custer seniors honored as State Scholars

Reed-Custer High School is home to 12 Illinois State Scholars. The academic recognition recently announced by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

“In a year when students and families across the state and the nation have face unprecedented personal and financial challenges as a result of the pandemic, we could not be more proud of the continued focus, dedication and achievement of our State Scholars,” said Eric Zarnikow, ISAC’s executive director.

This year’s recipients — Emily Anderson, Madeline Bollino, Savannah Bruns, Cody Houseman, Joel Hunt, Annika Marchi, Darby O'Shea, Emmawyn Powers, Aidan Schott, Logan Sharper, Jeremy Sheridan, and Marie Simonelli — join the ranks of other exceptional Illinois high school students honored with this prestigious award.

Introduced in 1958, Illinois State Scholars are recognized for their superior academic achievement. State scholars rank in approximately the top 10% of high school seniors from 676 schools across the state.

Honorees are chosen based on a combination of exemplary ACT or SAT test scores and sixth semester class rank.

This year, ISAC recognized more than 16,640 high school seniors for outstanding achievement in the classroom.

State Scholars are typically announced in early December, however the postponement or cancellation of spring 2020 college entrance exams due to the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the announcement until late April.

Each of the students will receive a congratulatory letter and certificate of achievement from ISAC. There is no monetary prize that comes with being a state scholar.

The mission of ISAC is to help make college accessible and affordable to students throughout the state. The organization strives to provide comprehensive, objective and timely information on education and financial aid for students and their families, giving them access to the tools they need to make the education choices that are right for them. Then, through the state scholarship and grant programs ISAC administers, ISAC can help students make those choices a reality.