A Lufkin High School senior was honored by the College Board’s National Indigenous Recognition Program and its National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program earlier this school year.

William Hansard will be able to list the recognition — which was based on his scores on the College Board’s PSAT/NMSQT aptitude tests — on his college and scholarship applications.

“The PSAT scores, whenever they are released, placed us in certain percentiles,” Hansard said. “Based off of my heritage and where I am, I placed high enough to be nationally recognized.”

Hansard said he was excited to hear that he had been honored by the College Board.

“I felt very proud of myself,” he said. “It felt pretty great to know that I’ve placed so high with my scores, and I hope I can use it for something better after high school.”

Hansard is a member of the LHS Panther Band and the high school’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program.

“I’ve enjoyed band and STEM for most of the time I’ve been in it,” he said. “It’s been fun, and I’ve learned a lot from all of it.”