Page 27 - The Paduan Spring 2022

Student NEWS
Three Bruins Named National Merit Commended Students
Three seniors were recognized as National Merit Commended Students. A letter of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation was presented to McKayla Leonard ’22, Jeff Ungvarsky ’22 and Alex Lucko ’22 by Principal Bob DiRocco.
About 50,000 Commended Students throughout the nation have been recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Commended Students placed among the top five percent
of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2022 competition by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
A NMSC spokesperson stated, “The Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success. 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 will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”
McKayla and Jeff are both graduates of St. Charles Borromeo School. Alex attended the Academy of St. Bartholomew prior to Padua.
Padua Bruin Becomes Private Pilot
Valedictorian Matthew Harley, Jr. ’22 obtained his private pilot’s license after several months of flight training beginning in May 2021. He plans to study aviation at The Ohio State University, Purdue University or St. Louis University and become a commercial airline pilot.
He presented as the Catholic Schools Week speaker at St. Ambrose Parish. He shared the impact both Padua and St. Ambrose have had on his personal formation and how the goal to try to be our best everyday has led him to excel inside and outside the classroom.
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