Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has named Howell High School senior Luke Bonanni a Commended Student.

According to a press release from Howell Public Schools, Bonanni was honored for his exceptional academic performance on the 2023 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

While Commended Students will not continue in the 2025 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, they have placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship competition.

“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.”

“It was definitely rewarding to find out that I had been named a Commended Student! I’m so honored to have received this recognition from National Merit and feel that all my hours of studying were worthwhile,” said Bonanni.

When asked about advice for other students seeking similar academic achievements, Bonanni emphasized the importance of consistent effort over time.

“For the PSAT and SAT, the strategy that helped me the most was to practice in consistent, short practice sessions over a longer period of time. These exams are difficult to cram for, so giving yourself time will allow you to become familiar with each subject and target the areas that need more attention. Also, be patient with yourself and know that your effort will make a big difference on test day."

While undecided on where he will attend college, Bonanni knows that higher education is in his future.

“I feel confident that the Commended Scholar award will be a strong asset to my applications and will open up new opportunities wherever I may go,” said Bonanni.