PCA student named National Merit Scholarship Commended Student

Staff Reports | The Shelby Independent

 Monica Dellinger with Madison Gettys. Courtesy photo | PCA

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced that Madison Gettys, a senior at Pinnacle Classical Academy, has been named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Monica Dellinger, the school's Dean of Secondary Education, presented a letter of commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2026 competition by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). 

"We are so proud of Madison," said Dr. Shelly Shope, the school's CEO. "Madison has worked very hard over the years, and that hard work has allowed her to earn this prestigious commendation."

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“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” added a spokesperson for NMSC. "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation.  We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”

Founded in 2013, Pinnacle Classical Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Shelby that attracts 1,215 students. U.S. News & World Report ranks the school among the top elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools in the nation. In the spring, the 40 members of the school's class of 2025 were offered a combined $6.4 million in merit scholarships to college. 

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Pinnacle Classical Academy press release.