Abigail Orchard, daughter of Jennifer and Eric Orchard and a Boothbay Region High School senior, was recently named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Foundation, about 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for the exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2026 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students place among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2026 competition by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success, according to a spokesman for NMSC.

“We will be including a recognition for Abigail during the senior recognition at the end of the year,” said BRHS Principal Dr. Tricia Campbell, who added that Abigail and her family have received a Letter of Commendation from the NMSC.