North Gwinnett News

Cruz Guo, a senior at Coahulla Creek High School, has been named a Commended Student in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.  A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, was presented to this scholastically talented senior.  

“I’ve never received an award this big before,” said Guo. “It means my hard work did bear fruit.”

According to the NMSC, approximately 34,000 students throughout the nation are being recognized as Commended Students for their exceptional academic promise. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2023 competition by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. 

“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC.  “These students represent a valuable national resource. Recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation.  We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”

According to his math teacher, Billy Singletary, Guo is a “hard-working, dedicated student who focuses on doing his best every day” and collaborates with others “to develop a deep understanding of the content rather than just trying to get the best grade.” 

Guo plans to study computer science in college and is currently considering schools such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Georgia Tech, though he said “MIT is my out-of-reach school,” while Georgia Tech is “close, affordable and the programs are really good.” Guo has his sights on working for Google or Facebook when he graduates, or “just working with robots and AI (artificial intelligence).” 

When asked who in his life he attributes his academic success and ambition to, Guo said, “I would like to give a shoutout to my mom and really every teacher I’ve had because I feel like they were all a part of my growth.”

Original source can be found here.