Roderick Cook, son of Brian Cook, Nesquehoning, and Melissa Hawk, Nesquehoning, was named a commended student in the National Merit Scholarship Program. He is a senior attending MMI Preparatory School.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which serves as an initial screen of more than 1.5 million program entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.Commended Students are named on the basis of a nationally applied Selection Index score that may vary from year to year and is below the level required for participants to be named Semifinalists in their respective states. Although Commended Students do not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, some of these students become candidates for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.