Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Ayana Gonzalez ’23 is proud of herself.

She should be, because she did something only a small percentage of students in the United States accomplish.

Ayana received the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Award for her performance on the PSAT, combined with her AP scores and WMA GPA.

Ayana was honored at School Meeting on Oct. 3.

Quotes

Ayana on her testing ability: “In school, I’m a good test taker, but for standardized testing I definitely have to study a little bit more to get the grade I want.”

Ayana on how she felt after she completed the PSAT: “When I first walked out, it was the first PSAT I had taken, and it was a lot. It was long: three hours. I was nervous because I knew about these (award) programs and I wondered if I qualified. Afterwards people were saying they didn’t finish and left questions blank, and I didn’t leave any blank. It made me feel a little better, but I didn’t know if I qualified for anything, I’m not going to lie.”

Ayana on receiving a national award: “I was happy, of course. The College Board sent a letter out to everybody: my mother, all my teachers I have for AP classes, my college counselor. I remember walking into AP Stats and Ms. (Dana) Housey walked up and shook my hand. I didn’t realize everybody got a letter. That was interesting, that my teachers knew.”

Ayana on what the College Board award does for her confidence: “I think it definitely feels good to be recognized. As a Hispanic girl, I know a lot of my friends and former classmates, they face so much and there’s so much we don’t get recognized for. We’re not expected to win anything like this. This feels powerful to my confidence.”

From English Department Chair Meg Hutcheson: “As a Global Scholar, Ayana leads with her strong curiosity and desire to learn. She is a thoughtful scholar who engages in important dialogue on campus about diversity, seeking to foster more understanding. I am just so impressed with Ayana.”