Hi! I'm trying to beef up my resume and make myself a more competitive applicant for college. Can anyone provide some examples of common or unique awards and honors for high school students? I'd love to hear about what others have received or what I could potentially apply for myself. Thanks in advance!
Sure, I'd be happy to share some examples of awards and honors for high school students! These awards can be local, regional, national, or even international in scope. Here are a few examples spanning various academic and extracurricular fields:
1. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: These awards recognize creative achievements in various categories, including visual arts, writing, film, and photography.
2. National Merit Scholarship Program: Based on PSAT scores, this program offers recognition and sometimes scholarship opportunities for high-achieving students.
3. Science Olympiad: A national competition where students compete in a series of science-based events, demonstrating skills in various scientific disciplines.
4. FIRST Robotics Competition: A team-based engineering and tech competition where students design and build robots to compete in challenges.
5. Congressional Award: A public service-focused award that recognizes youth who have completed significant volunteer work, personal development activities, and physical fitness goals.
6. Model United Nations Awards: For students involved in Model UN conferences, awards are given based on their ability to debate, negotiate and represent their country's positions accurately during the conference.
7. AMC/AIME/USAMO Math Competitions: A series of math contests seeking to identify and recognize top high school mathematicians.
8. DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America): Offers competitions and awards for students interested in marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship fields.
9. National History Day: Annual competition where students present their historical research, which can be in the form of a paper, exhibit, documentary, website, or performance.
10. National Speech & Debate Association: Provides competitions, awards, and recognition for students involved in speech and debate activities.
11. Presidential Scholars Program: A prestigious award that recognizes up to 161 US high school seniors annually for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields.
These are just a few examples of the numerous awards and honors available to high school students. Research opportunities in your areas of interest, and don't forget to look for local and regional awards as well, as they can also add great value to your resume. Good luck!
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