CVUSD students named National Hispanic Recognition Program recipients

Eight Chino Valley Unified School District high school seniors have been named National Hispanic Recognition Program recipients by the College Board, based on their scores on college readiness tests they took in fall 2016 as juniors.

The honorees are: Chino Hills High School students Jonah Botello, David Lozano, and Amanda Urena; and Ayala High School students Nathan Chase, Joshua Rodriguez, Nathaniel Ruppert, Natalie Sarmiento, and Gavin Stark.

Jonah is involved in Associated Student Body, UNICEF, and the Hip Hop and All Male dance teams at Chino Hills High. He is also the Student Representative to the Board of Education for the 2017/2018 school year. Jonah plans to apply to USC.

David is interested in attending Cal Poly Pomona’s architecture program.

Amanda is involved in Theatre, Comedy Sports, Latino Culture Club, LGBT Alliance, Local Young Artists Club, and UNICEF at Chino Hills High. She is applying to several colleges, including USC and UCLA.

Joshua is involved in the National Math Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Mathletes, and French Club at Ayala. He would like to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Nathaniel participates in the Leo Club, E-Sports Club, Asian Club, and Astronomy Club at Ayala. He is looking at UCLA, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, MIT, University of California Berkley, USC, and Harvard.

At Ayala, Natalie participates in the Astronomy Club, Key Club, National Math Honor Society, Science Olympiad, Polynesian Club, and NAMI On Campus High School, a student-led club that raises mental health awareness and strives to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness. Natalie has not decided on a college yet.

Gavin is a member of Mock Trial, National Honor Society, Investors Club, National Math Honor Society, and Christian Club at Ayala. He is currently looking at the University of Pennsylvania, UCLA, USC, Cornell University, and Columbia University as potential colleges.

Information on Nathan Chase was not available.

Every year, approximately 5,000 of the 250,000 Hispanic/Latino juniors who take the test are recognized as National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) recipients. The College Board’s NHRP is an academic honor that can be included on college applications. Recipients also receive a certificate.

Students interested in the program must take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in October of their junior year, are at least one quarter Hispanic/Latino, achieve the minimum required PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score, earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher by the middle of their junior year, and identify as Hispanic/Latino on their PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet where it asks for race and ethnicity.

Students who took the PSAT/NMSQT in October of this year, may apply online for the NHRP designation in February and March. Students must work with their school in the spring to submit a form confirming their ethnicity and cumulative grade point average. Deadline for the applications will be June 30, 2018. NHRP students, who are enrolled as seniors, will be notified in September 2018 if they earned the recognition.

For more information about the NHRP, visit: http://bit.ly/1sN6xBb

Pictured above:

Chino Hills High students (from left) Jonah Botello, Amanda Urena, and David Lozano have been named National Hispanic Recognition Program recipients.

Ayala High students (from left) Natalie Sarmiento, Joshua Rodriguez, Gavin Stark, and Nathaniel Ruppert have been named National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) recipients. Not pictured is NHRP recipient Nathan Chase, also of Ayala High.

(12/11/17)