Heartland Community Schools Logo

Tara Buzek Nationally Recognized by the College Board

Launch the media gallery 1 player

Tara Buzek at Heartland Nationally Recognized by the College Board
The 2025 National Recognition Program awarded over 280,000 high-performing students to help them stand out to colleges

Henderson, NE – Heartland Community School is proud to celebrate the achievements of a student who earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Program.

The program, available on BigFuture®, helps students stand out on college and scholarship applications. Every year, talented students claim an award based on their achievement on College Board assessments, including the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, and AP® Exams.

In 2025, the program offered three awards to students of all backgrounds and across schools nationwide: First Generation Recognition Award, Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award, and for the first time, the School Recognition Award, to honor top-performing students in every high school, including lesser-known schools.

This year, Tara Buzek received the School Recognition Award.

Students verify their eligibility during their sophomore or junior year by meeting the following criteria:
• Take the PSAT/NMSQT (10th, 11th), PSAT 10 (10th), and/or AP Exams (by the end of 10th).
• Earn a cumulative GPA of B+ or higher (at least 3.3 or 87%-89%) by the time of submission.
• Be one of the top 10% of test takers in their high school, among first-generation college students in their state, and/or among rural and small-town students in their state, OR earn a 3+ on 2 or more distinct AP Exams in the 8th, 9th , and/or 10th grade.

The recognition serves as a signal for colleges eager to recruit awardees and as an opportunity for communities to celebrate students as they start a new school year. Thousands of nonprofit colleges and scholarship organizations using the College Board Student Search Service™ can connect with awardees during the recruitment process to share more about their post secondary programs.

“We are deeply committed to clearing a path for each and every student to take ownership of their future. We are excited that this program recognizes achievements of students across the country,” said Amy Reitz, senior vice president of BigFuture at College Board. “With the highest participation in the program’s history this year, we are proud to support these students on their future paths.”

BigFuture® is a free, online resource that helps students take the right first step after high school. We help you plan for college, pay for college, and explore careers. Whether you’re interested in a four-year university community college, or career training, BigFuture has what you need to start planning your future, your way.