By Matt Mackinder
Clarkston News Editor

With the 2022-23 school year in full swing, Clarkston High School senior Isaac Rucker is looking to finish his high school career on a positive note.
After recently being named a National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalist, Rucker is well on his way to doing just that.
“Being a National Merit semifinalist is an honor that shows the effort I have put into my academic career,” Rucker said. “Academics have always been a priority to me. I enjoy learning and the challenge of understanding new concepts.”
High school juniors entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants.
A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
From over 16,000 semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level in February.
Rucker’s high school career began in 2019-20, meaning his freshman year was shut down in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic started and schools were closed.
Since then, Rucker has continued to excel in the classroom.
“I believe a couple of factors helped me through the pandemic,” Rucker said. “One factor is that I am fairly self-motivated. Another factor was that I participated in an online schooling program for third, fourth, and fifth grade before moving to Clarkston, but I also think credit needs to go to the staff and teachers of Clarkston Community Schools who made the awkward transition from classroom to home and back as smooth as possible.
“I will definitely remember the people. My teachers who challenged me, classmates who worked alongside me, and friends who supported me are how I will recall my time at CCS.”
In addition to his high academic achievement, Rucker runs cross country for CHS. He has ran since joining the team in sixth grade at Sashabaw Middle School.
Rucker said that he has plans for next year, but they are still in the process of being finalized.
“I am undecided as far as what college I will go to, but I do plan on going to a four-year college,” said Rucker.

PHOTO: Isaac Rucker, middle, was recognized at the Oct. 10 Clarkston Board of Education meeting joined by, from left, his father Daniel Rucker, mother Kristin Rucker, brother Levi Rucker, and sister Aubrey Rucker. Photo: Provided by Kelly Allen