HAGERSTOWN, MD (March 10, 2016) – The 2016 National Carson Scholars program announces 13 students from Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) for honors. Three students are honored for the first time and the remaining ten students were recognized for maintaining their Carson Scholar status through excellent performance in the classroom and commitment to their communities. The national program annually recognizes students from grades four through 11 for outstanding academic achievement and humanitarian qualities. The Carson Scholars Fund list of new 2016 honorees includes Erica Greenwald, a junior at North Hagerstown High School, Boonsboro Middle School eighth grader Adam Metz and Norah Keller, a fifth grader at Old Forge Elementary School. They are among a group of 625 students nationally who are recognized for the first time. Each first time award winner received a $1,000 scholarship.

WCPS students whose Carson Scholar status was renewed were Abigail Jones, Grace Li, Sabrina Manganaro and Gabriel Juedemann from Boonsboro High School, Ana Mooney from Northern Middle School, Nicholas Bono, Abigal Kittel and Grace Kittel from Smithsburg Middle School, Lindsey Draheim from Smithsburg High School and Kaylee Adelsberger from Williamsport High School. A total of 841 students nationwide renewed their Carson Scholar status.

The students will be honored at the 20th Annual Awards Ceremony on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore. The program is hosted by Dr. Ben Carson, who founded the Carson Scholars Fund with his wife Candy in 1994, to promote academic excellence and social consciousness in students and to cultivate future leaders.