WVCSD Superintendent’s Spotlight: NMSC’s ‘Commended Students’

This week’s spotlight is on four Warwick Valley High School seniors whose educational achievements won them one of the highest academic honors in the U.S. Class of 2025 members Collin Freet, Abigail Kadus, Beren Munkatchy, and Angelina Nguyen were each named Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. WVHS Principal Georgianna Diopoulos made the announcement on Oct. 8, and presented the students with their Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Each year, Commended Students across the country are recognized for their exceptional academic work. The honor places Freet, Kadus, Munkatchy and Nguyen are among the top 50,000 students nationwide who entered the 2025 competition by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

“Collin, Abigail, Beren and Angelina received this honor because they’re academic rock stars,” said Diopoulos. “They are dedicated, inquisitive students, which is an important trait that, I know, will translate into them becoming lifelong learners. I hope that they are as proud of themselves as we are of them. This is a hard-earned and well-deserved recognition for not only four outstanding students, but four fantastic individuals.”

Nguyen said she appreciates the weight that this NMSC accolade adds to her college applications. “I want to go into pharmacology,” she said. “Some schools offer programs to get a PharmD in six years, rather than eight, which means I’d be able to enter the industry early and have more time to hopefully make an impact in the field.”

Freet intends to study either engineering or physics in college. “I’ve always held education in high regard, and truly value the learning process,” said Freet. “As such, I try to maintain a strong work ethic and positive attitude in each one of my classes. I believe that this Commendation is a result of both my work ethic, and the amazing teachers I have had over the past few years here at Warwick High School.”

Munkatchy, another science-minded senior, plans to study biology after high school. And while Munkatchy shares his fellow honorees’ pride and gratitude for receiving the NMSC honor, he also “hopes that everyone who reads this article knows that whether or not their academics have been recognized, they are worthy of education, no matter what a college admissions officer might tell them.”

Kadus is also proud to have received this recognition for the hard work she put into preparing for the PSAT and the resulting outcome. “It is a product of my hard work throughout high school, and I’m looking forward to using this as motivation to achieve in college and beyond,” Kadus said. “As for my future plans, I am committed to play lacrosse at Rowan University. I hope to enroll in their honors college, and I plan to study medicine there.”