The Aiken County Public School District is pleased to announce that 57 eighth-grade students, or three percent of the District’s eighth grade student population, have earned distinction as South Carolina Junior Scholars for the 2020-21 school year.
“These outstanding students have established themselves as academic leaders in their schools and our school district and we are very proud of all they have already accomplished,” stated Aiken County Superintendent King Laurence.
The South Carolina Department of Education started the South Carolina Junior Scholars Program over 30 years ago to identify eighth-grade students with exceptional academic talent. Students must meet stringent eligibility criteria, including receiving a score of 550 or higher on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing assessments, or a score of 530 or higher on the Mathematics section of the PSAT/NMSQT. Students may also qualify for the South Carolina Junior Scholars Program by meeting eligibility criteria as participants in Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (TIP) during their seventh-grade year, or through recognition by Duke TIP at the State or National recognition ceremony.
The Junior Scholars program identifies students and provides opportunities that will facilitate their intellectual growth, broaden their individual interests, and promote their scholastic achievement. Recognition as a Junior Scholar also provides students with access to statewide summer opportunities with participating South Carolina colleges and universities. Students may also note this special recognition on their technical college and university applications.
The following Aiken County Public School District students have earned academic distinction as 2020-21 South Carolina Junior Scholars:
Jackson STEM Magnet Middle School - Brenda Garrett, Dorien Coleman, Doris Parker, and Michael Garland.
Kennedy Middle School – Anlai Chen, Bradley Peterson, Brandon Enlund, Cody Fox, Cody Goldschmidt, Cole Kring, Ella Shuford, Farooq Al-Soudi, Hannah Ackroyd, Hannah Gamble, Jonathan Kingery, Justin Hsu, Liam King, Mason Lentsch, Matthew Remington, Mengxi Tang, Rebecca Walker, and Robert Watkins.
Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle – Audrey Sloan and Tyler White.
Leavelle McCampbell Middle - Andon Hawkins, Emily Nightingale, Hans Birnbrich, and Peyton Waters.
New Ellenton Middle – Cion Yaw, Lindi Clingerman, and Natalia Rosales.
North Augusta Middle - Alithea Hase, Clayton Dell, Emma Thompson-Landrum, Evahnee Sweeney, Izabellah Gardiner, Lyles Cannon, and Serena Ngo.
Paul Knox Middle – Adam Towner, Anna Peace, Benjamin Lindler, Colin Day, Douglas Hibbard, Evan Hargrove, Joey Counsellor, Kaylee Long, Kendall Currie, Lillian Vickers, Sailor Amburn, Seth Renfro, Sophia Massucco, and Sydney Rogers
Schofield Middle – Claire Bishop, Ezra Sadsad, Joanna Brown, Joseph Nwachukwu, and Kaylynn Dixon.
LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2021 PR JUNIOR SCHOLARS