photo by: Contributed photo

Eudora High School senior Connor Schmidt

A Douglas County high school student has been rewarded for his academic excellence in the face of adversity.

Connor Schmidt, a senior at Eudora High School, was selected as one of the 106 high school students across the nation to earn the 2020 Horatio Alger National Scholarship, according to a news release from the organization.

The $25,000 scholarship recognizes students from low-income households who have shown a commitment to continuing their education and serving the greater good, according to the news release.

“I am thankful and blessed for this opportunity,” Schmidt said in an emailed statement to the Journal-World. “College is a huge step in a high school senior’s life, and money is a large part of that. This scholarship will help our family with the financial aspect of college.”

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Inc., a nonprofit educational organization, awards the scholarships annually to two students from each U.S. state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada. The other Kansas student to earn the award was Jay Brown of Chanute High School, which is in Neosho County in southeastern Kansas.

This year’s scholarships were awarded to students who come from households with an average income of $17,675 per year and who maintained an average GPA of 3.84. The scholarships are for educational costs at the college or university of the recipients’ choice.

Schmidt was previously honored for his academic success when he was named a Kansas Honor Scholar in September, according to a Eudora school district social media post. The program honors Kansas high school seniors for ranking academically in the top 10% of their class.

Schmidt is also the student council president, vice president for National Honor Society and “an excellent representative of Eudora High School,” EHS Principal Ron Abel said.

“Connor is not only an outstanding, respectful student but also a mentor to those who need academic assistance,” said Julie Splichal, an EHS science teacher. “His ability to seek opportunities to ensure the success of fellow students and teachers is unmatched by any other.”