Seth Bailey and Abbey McCord were recently named Illinois State Scholars. It is an impressive feat accomplished by only a very few students. According to the State Scholar Program website, in order to be eligible to become an Illinois State Scholar, one has to perform in the top on-half of your high school class at the end of the third semester prior to graduation, and/or score at or above the 95th percentile on the ACT or SAT.

Meeting these criteria makes a student eligible, but it does not guarantee that a student will receive the honor. According to the website, “approximately the top ten percent of graduates from approved high schools are announced as State Scholars each year.”

Illinois State Scholars receive bragging rights, but unfortunately, no monetary award.  In Palestine, Illinois State Scholars are usually honored during the Basketball Shrine Game halftime.