Central grad is a National Merit Scholar
Central High School 2023 graduate Gavriel Pappas was recently named a winner of the prestigious National Merit Scholarship. Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the Finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.
“It means a lot to be fortunate enough to be honored in such a way by Central, Saint Paul Public Schools, and the University of Minnesota, who sponsored my national merit scholarship,” Pappas said. “I am really incredibly proud to be able to represent Central and Saint Paul Public Schools, and am incredibly thankful for the great education that I was provided with.”
Pappas will major in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development at the University of Minnesota, while minoring in Spanish. He will also be part of the University Honors Program.
Pappas earned a perfect ACT score in his junior year at Central. He’s thankful for all the school has done for him.
“There is a lot to like about Central High School,” Pappas said. “I really appreciate the opportunity to partake in both the IB and AP curriculums. It was a very special experience to be able to do both. What I liked most about Central was all of the great communities I was able to be a part of, namely being a member of the robotics team for the past several years. I grew up in rural Wisconsin so I also really appreciated the greater level of diversity at Central.”