A record 153 Killeen ISD students have earned national recognition through the College Board BigFuture School Recognition Program. This achievement marks a 51% increase from the previous year and highlights the district’s ongoing efforts to expand college readiness and advanced academic opportunities for students.
The College Board BigFuture School Recognition Program honors high school students who have demonstrated strong academic achievement and college readiness. These national recognitions help students strengthen their college applications while connecting them with scholarship opportunities and colleges seeking to recruit high-achieving students.
Students become eligible for these awards based primarily on their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, along with maintaining a qualifying GPA and meeting additional eligibility requirements established by the College Board. Because the awards are based on PSAT performance during the sophomore or junior year, they recognize students who are already demonstrating exceptional potential for college success.
This year Killeen ID students earned recognition in two categories:
School Recognition Award – Presented to students attending participating high schools who earn qualifying PSAT scores, maintain a strong GPA, and demonstrate college readiness through their academic achievement.
First-Generation Recognition Award – Presented to academically accomplished students whose parents or guardians did not earn a bachelor’s degree, celebrating students who are helping pave the way as among the first in their families to pursue a four-year college degree.
The increase in award recipients reflects Killeen ISD’s continued commitment to expanding college readiness opportunities for all students. The district has worked intentionally to increase access to rigorous coursework, encourage greater participation in the PSAT, provide students with meaningful preparation for college entrance assessments, and ensure that every student has the opportunity to pursue advanced academic pathways that open doors after graduation.
Campus Highlights:
Chaparral HS – celebrated 29 award recipients, maintaining its strong performance from the previous year.
Early College HS – led the district with 39 award recipients, matching last year’s total.
Ellison HS – more than doubled its number of award recipients, increasing from 7 to 17 students, a 143% increase.
Harker Heights HS – increased from 19 to 26 award recipients, a 37% increase.
Killeen HS – experienced remarkable growth, increasing from 3 to 20 award recipients, a 567% increase.
Shoemaker HS – increased from 4 to 22 award recipients, a 450% increase
Districtwide, Killeen ISD increased from 101 award recipients to 153 recipients – an additional 52 students receiving national recognition.
“These recognitions represent far more than awards they represent opportunity,” said Jennifer Roden, Director of Advanced Academics. “Through their hard work on the PSAT, these students have positioned themselves for future college and scholarship opportunities. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and grateful to the educators, counselors, campus leaders, and families who have supported them along the way. Every student who earns this recognition is another example of what is possible when students are challenged, encouraged, and given access to rigorous academic opportunities.”
Chaparral High School:
Eniola Abudu: School Recognition Award
Annelisa Amoako: School Recognition Award
Elijah Arreola: School Recognition Award
Aniya Coleman: School Recognition Award
Thomas Donnella: School Recognition Award
Isaiah Francis: School Recognition Award
Jasmin Garraway: School Recognition Award
Arianna Garza: School Recognition Award
Jackson Grenier: School Recognition Award
Cole Hequembourg: School Recognition Award
Abdiel Hernandez Torres: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
John Hickok: School Recognition Award
Antonio Hudson: First-Generation Recognition Award
Joseph Kianes: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Preston Lewis: School Recognition Award
James Maxwell: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Daniel McKinnis: School Recognition Award
Dylan Ray: School Recognition Award
Tatum Reaves: School Recognition Award
Isabella Rodriguez: First-Generation Recognition Award
Yamil Rodriguez-Perez: School Recognition Award
Midori Roundtree: School Recognition Award
Dominic Spafford: School Recognition Award
Michelle Stepherson: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Samuel Subirias: School Recognition Award
Jose Torres Lopez: School Recognition Award
Andrea Torres Nieves: School Recognition Award
Daniela Vachier Oliveras: School Recognition Award
Avery Wiltzius: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Early College High School:
Malachi Biles: First-Generation Recognition Award
Jaslene Brown: First-Generation Recognition Award
Mai-Lee Campos-Leach: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Jeremy Castillo: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Jaelynn Duvall: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Juan-Carsten Essah: School Recognition Award
Arianna Figueroa: School Recognition Award
Eniangelys Garcia Castro: School Recognition Award
Angel Gonzalez: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Clemente Gonzalez: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Alexander Harrison: School Recognition Award
Joel Hernandez: First-Generation Recognition Award
Victoria Hernandez: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Dariel Hernandez Ferrer: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Armando Lugo Maldonado: School Recognition Award
Fernanda Mendoza: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Angelina Mims: School Recognition Award
Joselin Miranda Ortiz: School Recognition Award
Eli'An Morales-Restrepo: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Ashley Moreno: School Recognition Award
Seamus Morrison: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Angeliz Nieves Santana: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Laura Nyamari: School Recognition Award
Aileen Ortega: School Recognition Award
Andy Pagan Pabon: School Recognition Award
Charlotte Painter: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Daniel Pauley: School Recognition Award
Alexis Plewacki: School Recognition Award
Cameron Reed: First-Generation Recognition Award
Jomeia Robinson: First-Generation Recognition Award
Fatima Rodriguez: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Caiden Rollings: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Leila Sturkie: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Teegan Sumter: School Recognition Award
Aden Tagabuel: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Blessing Ugwuanyi: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Alexia Weatherspoon: First-Generation Recognition Award
Nathaniel Wester: School Recognition Award
Aryana Wright: School Recognition Award
Ellison High School:
Brianna Brower: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Tavin Bunes: School Recognition Award
Cody Cagle: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Yiliannybet Castillo: First-Generation Recognition Award
Sarah Ciaburri: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Amber Daguplo: First-Generation Recognition Award
De'Vonte Easley: First-Generation Recognition Award
Isaiah Hulse: School Recognition Award
Dillan Huynh: First-Generation Recognition Award
James King: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Kaia Kobusingye: School Recognition Award
Orryn Zeb Nidoy: School Recognition Award
Amira Nnubia: School Recognition Award
Ja'Lya Swiney: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Abigail Thompson Jimenez: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Rabia Warriach: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Jaide Williams: First-Generation Recognition Award
Harker Heights High School:
Andrea Alicea: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Jaylynn Bennett: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Aryanna Caro: First-Generation Recognition Award
Hayun Choi: School Recognition Award
Michael Choi: School Recognition Award
Amelia Coke: School Recognition Award
Alana Curtis: School Recognition Award
Jaden Dang: School Recognition Award
Caiden Douchand: First-Generation Recognition Award
Nigel Dunn: School Recognition Award
Bethany Ferree: First-Generation Recognition Award
Brayden Gray: First-Generation Recognition Award
Matthew Hill: School Recognition Award
Jazmin Johnson: School Recognition Award
Angelica Loubiere: School Recognition Award
Kaleb Mandell: School Recognition Award
Juan Melgarejo: First-Generation Recognition Award
Krishna Montoya: School Recognition Award
Heet Patel: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
William Pierce: School Recognition Award
Gabriel Richardson: School Recognition Award
Kaelan Ryan: School Recognition Award
Aram Salinas: School Recognition Award
Maryi Sanchez Uceda: First-Generation Recognition Award
Isabella Shepherd: School Recognition Award
Caleb Turner: School Recognition Award
Killeen High School:
Alyssa Baxter: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Scarlette Berndt: School Recognition Award
Daniela Calderon De La Rosa: School Recognition Award
Courtney Conway: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Amaya Frutiz: School Recognition Award
Olijana Gabble: School Recognition Award
Lawrenze James Hood: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Dylan Layman: School Recognition Award
Harvey Morris: School Recognition Award
Harrison Nguyen: First-Generation Recognition Award
Jonalis Nieves: First-Generation Recognition Award
Alexis Petty: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
John Renfrew: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Jacob Roman: School Recognition Award
Joshua Roman: School Recognition Award
Victor Sanchez: First-Generation Recognition Award
Nikolas Sesma: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Moussa Soumahoro: School Recognition Award
Jaden Sowell: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Jeremiah Zirkle: First-Generation Recognition Award
Robert M. Shoemaker High School:
Paola Alberty Santiago: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Aiyana Barkley: First-Generation Recognition Award
Adrianna Boyles: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Alexavier Brown: First-Generation Recognition Award
Lydia Cade: First-Generation Recognition Award
Lilyanne Calaf: School Recognition Award
Liam Caley: School Recognition Award
Kale Clawson: School Recognition Award
Ndeye Diop: School Recognition Award
Ja'Bari Dudley: School Recognition Award
Jae Uno Dy Eguia: School Recognition Award
John Hall: First-Generation Recognition Award
Layla Llantada: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Benjamin Merker: School Recognition Award
Jada Oatis: School Recognition Award
Shalom Olanihun: School Recognition Award
Kaden Roskamp: School Recognition Award
Dejanee Walker: School Recognition Award; First-Generation Recognition Award
Jakaro Warthen: School Recognition Award
Ismael Willybiro Sako: School Recognition Award
Jamal Wilson: School Recognition Award
Brooklyn Winget: First-Generation Recognition Award; School Recognition Award
Killeen ISD remains committed to preparing students for success after high school by expanding access to advanced academics and fostering a culture of college and career readiness. The district celebrates these students for their outstanding achievements and looks forward to seeing the opportunities these national recognitions create for them in the future.