339 RISD Students Earn National Recognition Awards

Richardson ISD says 339 of its juniors and seniors have earned College Board National Recognition Awards this year, up from 286 in 2025. The honorees come from Berkner, Lake Highlands, Pearce and Richardson high schools. The district says the awards help students stand out on college applications and recognize the hard work behind their records.

Two designations were given. The School Recognition Award honors top-performing students at high schools nationwide. The First-Generation Recognition Award goes to students on track to be the first in their family to complete college. The growth is notable: a district college readiness update reported 90 RISD students honored through the program in 2024.

Qualifying takes more than one path. A student can earn a 3 or higher on two or more AP exams during 8th through 10th grade. Another route is scoring in the top 10% on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 among a school's test takers, the state's first-generation test takers, or rural or small-town test takers.

The recognition joins other fall honors for the district. In October, RISD announced 38 seniors as National Merit Commended students in the 2027 program, including students from each of its high schools.

Original reporting by Richardson ISD, published on its website at web.risd.org.