Granite Hills High School senior Hayden Rice has been named a Commended Student by the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Principal Adam Powell announced that a letter of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation will be given to Rice, Apple Valley Unified School District officials stated.
“We are very proud of Hayden for this accomplishment,” Powell said. “She represents Granite Hills High School so well, not only as a great student but as a leader in our System Control and Design Academy program and in the community, as well.”
About 34,000 commended students nationally are being recognized for their academic promise.
Although the commended students will not continue in the 2025 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, the students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2025 competition by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
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Students who earn this distinction have demonstrated “outstanding potential for academic success,” a National Merit Scholarship Corporation spokesperson said.
“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” National Merit Scholarship officials stated. “We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”
