3 Plum students honored with academic awards

Three students at Plum Senior High School were honored during the Sept. 27 school board meeting.

Karee Jackson, Rachel Arhin and Steven Robledo each were recognized by the College Board National Recognition Program Awards. Jackson and Arhin received the National African American Recognition Award (NAARA), while Robledo received the National Hispanic Recognition Award (NHRA).

“It’s all about having people to push you and motivate you more,” said Jackson. “I have to thank my friends and my family, especially my mother.”

All three were recognized for the challenges that they have placed on themselves — and exceeded — by taking numerous advanced courses in high school.

Jackson has taken 13 advanced courses, either honors or AP, since freshman year. Ahrin is currently enrolled in five honors courses after taking nine in her first two years of high school, making 14 total. Robledo has taken seven advanced courses, as well as almost all of the coding classes that the high school has to offer. His parents said afterward that he is currently enrolled in college-level courses as well.

Seniors Jackson and Robledo both plan to attend Penn State New Kensington, with Jackson majoring in criminal justice and Robledo majoring in biomedical engineering. Junior Arhin does not yet have a school in mind, but currently plans on majoring in criminal law wherever she does attend.

“I’ve had a lot of people in my life,” said Arhin, “specifically my parents who’ve pushed me to do well in academics.”

There are four total recognition award programs from the College Board. The NAARA and NHRA are joined by the National Indigenous Recognition Award (NIRA) and the National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award (NRSTRA). The awards are meant for underrepresented students who have taken one of the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10 or AP Exams, in addition to maintaining a GPA of at least 3.5.

“A lot of people, similar to (Jackson and Arhin), have pushed me to be where I am,” said Robledo. “Students, peers, definitely my parents, especially my dad who is very pushy in everything I do, which is fantastic, so I can get to where I am now — which is here, accepting this, because of the efforts everyone has put in place for me.”