Thursday, October 1, 2026
South Side High School Principal Dr. Carol Burris acknowledged the following outstanding students and offered her congratulations. “We are really proud of you all,” she said.
Commended students in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program
Madison Bondy, Shannon Buckley, Mark Hamilton, Emily Passarelli, Ethan Quinn, Carly Roman and James Ryan have been named Commended Students in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation have been recognized for their exceptional academic promise. “The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” said a spokesman for NMSC.
2012 National Achievement Program Outstanding
Participants
Cristina Carter and Storm Marshall have been named Outstanding Participants in the 2012 National Achievement Scholarship Program. These students scored in the top 3 percent of more than 160,000 Black Americans who requested consideration in the 2012 National Achievement Program when they took the 2010 PSAT/NMSQT exam. The National Achievement Scholarship Program was initiated in 1964 specifically to honor academically promising Black American high school students, recognizing their potential for academic success in college.
Principal’s Leadership Award
Nominee
By recognizing leadership in co-curricular activities as well as academic performance, the Principal’s Leadership Award scholarship recognizes the importance of a well-rounded education. Co-curricular activities are an essential part of the school curriculum. This year’s nominee is Carly Roman.
Among many other things, Carly has been the co-president of the South Side Chapter of Glamour Gals, vice president of her class, vice president of Peer Mediation and a mentor in our Athletes Helping Athletes program. She is a full IB Diploma candidate as well as an exceptional student athlete and has been inducted into the National Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. This impressive young woman has truly left her mark at South Side.
Prudential Spirit of Community Award Nominee
The Prudential Spirit of Community Award was created in 1995 to recognize students who have demonstrated exemplary community service. This prestigious award, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, is presented annually on the local, state and national levels. This year’s nominee is Kasey Ng, a senior at South Side High School.
Kasey is described as a true humanitarian, devoting many hours of her life toward bettering the world. As president of the Environmental Awareness Club, vice president of Student Government, and president of Peer Mediation, Kasey has used her leadership and influence to set a positive example throughout the South Side community. This is just a snapshot of Kasey’s contributions to South Side over the years.
HOBY Leadership Conference
This year’s South Side High School representative to the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Conference will be Briar Rose DeTommaso. HOBY is a national organization that sponsors leadership seminars in the United States and around the world. It is designed to take young leaders, like Briar Rose, and further their leadership potential. Briar Rose has an extensive leadership background that includes being the Sophomore Class president, member of the Student Government Association, and captain of the JV Volleyball Team.
