POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — In Sept. 2020, School of the Ozarks senior Caleb Roberts was announced as a National Merit® Scholarship Commended Student. Out of 1.5 million students entered from around the nation, only 34,000 qualify for this recognition.

A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, notified high school principals and provided them with a certificate to present to each scholastically talented senior.

Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2021 competition.

“School of the Ozarks faculty developed a Portrait of a Graduate, based on the vision statement of both College of the Ozarks and School of the Ozarks, to develop citizens of Christ-like character who are well-educated, hardworking, and patriotic,” said Brad Dolloff, dean of School of the Ozarks. “Caleb Roberts is a young man who exemplifies the portrait and the vision. He works very hard, has demonstrated exceptional academic ability and potential, is a patriotic individual, and, above all, seeks to glorify Christ in all he does.”

According to information from the NMSC, Commended Students are selected based on their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. A variety of information is used for NMSC selectors to evaluate: the student’s academic record, information about the school’s curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, the high school official’s written recommendation, information about the student’s activities and leadership, and the student’s own essay.

For any academic success I’ve had, I give credit first to God for giving me a desire for knowledge of His truth and second to my teachers and parents for bringing that desire to fruition.

“I felt excited and thankful because it will open up new doors for college opportunities and scholarships,” said Dolloff. “I am thankful for my parents and teachers for their help in coaching me to get to where I am at today.”

The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) — a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year — and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.