PCHS student shines on PSAT
November 2, 2023 at 1:00 a.m.
Unlike the many students who take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), Orhan Eski was acutely aware of the scholarship program during his preparation for the exam.
“I learned of it kind of late into my prep for the PSAT, but it only motivated me to try even harder,” the Port Chester High School senior said.
And the hard work paid off.
Last year, over 1.3 million high school students took the Preliminary SAT in the U.S. Of those, only approximately 34,000 are designated as Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). And among those 2% of the test takers is Eski.
Being recognized by the NMSC as a commended student could open the door to scholarships offered by sponsors of the program, which made it something that Eski held in his sights. But he was still cognizant of the fact that he would need to score in the top 2% of students in the country.
“That was the dream goal for me,” he said. “I didn’t really think it was going to happen, but I gave it my all.” And his all is a considerable amount. Eski is a serious student, and it’s something he’s proud of.
“I take a lot of classes,” the 17-year-old said. “The past two years, I haven’t had lunch because I stack my schedule.”
He’s an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma candidate, treasurer of the Key Club, a member of the chess club, a section leader in the school marching band in which he plays alto saxophone and plays three sports throughout the school year—cross country, basketball, and golf. His dedication to school is something that he says has been a part of his life for a long time.
“It’s part of the values my parents instilled in me from a young age,” he said. “I see the value of it, it can really change a person’s life, change the trajectory of what you can be, what you can do, and how you can help people.”
Achieving stellar academics is also how Eski hopes to reach his childhood dream of literally reaching for the stars.
“Ever since I was little, I was obsessed with space,” he said. “My way of making that into a career is through engineering.” And his achievement of being recognized as a commended student is one step closer to attaining that.
Since his parents played a large part in how much he values school, it makes sense that they were the first people he told when he found out about his accomplishment.
“I was actually sick at the time,” Eski recalled. “So I was trying to stay away from family to avoid them getting sick. But once I got the award, I ran out of my room, told them and hugged them.”
It was something that he actively worked towards, and reaching that milestone meant a great deal to him. However, he wasn’t alone in his celebration.
“I got a lot of congratulations, even out in public,” he said. Even during his performance with the Pride of Port Chester Marching Band, Eski said people approached him to offer their congratulations.
Port Chester administrators are pleased with what he’s done as well.
“Orhan’s recognition is a result of his hard work and dedication,” Luke Sotherden, the principal of Port Chester High School, wrote in a statement. “We are proud of him and all his accomplishments.”
But Eski isn’t allowing himself to take it easy just yet. He’s currently in the midst of applying to colleges, as he intends to start in the Fall of next year.
“My plan is to finish those and then work on getting scholarships,” he said. “And then after that, hopefully I’ll get to relax a little.”
He’s looking forward to getting some down time in the future, during which he’d like to play chess and lift weights, his two main hobbies.
As it stands now, Eski will continue to work hard on his academics to achieve his dream. Things seem to be headed in the right direction for one of Port Chester’s star students, and he’s got the certificate to prove it.
Comments:
You must login to comment.