Rendon named Academic All-State

The Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence has announced the 100 Oklahoma public high school seniors named as Academic All-State honorees for 2024, including Kamrey Rendon from Comanche.

The 2024 class features students from 71 schools in 64 school districts. Rendon was the only student from Stephens County named on the 2024 list.

“These outstanding students reflect the academic excellence achieved in Oklahoma’s public schools,” OFE Executive Director Elizabeth Inbody said. “We are honored to have the opportunity to celebrate them and reiterate the importance of public education in Oklahoma.”

An Oklahoma Board of Regents Academic Scholar and class valedictorian, Rendon is a member of Comanche’s softball and basketball teams. She is the Oklahoma Coaches Association Region 5 Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, as well as a fast pitch softball and girls’ basketball Academic All-Stater. She is the community service coordinator for her school’s National Honor Society chapter and is on the Fellowship of Christian Athletes leadership team. Rendon plans to attend Cameron University and major in cellular and molecular biology. Rendon is the first Academic All-State selection from Comanche in 10 years.

She is the daughter of Jerry and Misty Rendon.

According to the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence website, there have been five former Academic All-State selections from Comanche, including: Nicholas Wanzor (2000), Kolton Barnes (2007), Brodie Montgomery (2007), Megan Treece (2007) and Cody Crow (2014).

OFE will honor the 2024 Academic All-State class at the 2024 Academic Awards Celebration on Saturday, May 4, at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Norman. Each All-Stater will receive a $1,500 merit-based cash award, an honor cord and a medallion. Honorees are encouraged to invite a teacher who has significantly impacted their academic success to the event; these educators will be recognized during the ceremony.

Since the program launched in 1987, OFE has honored some 3,800 Academic All-State students from 336 school districts.

OFE President Andrew J. Morris described the selection of the scholars as the most rigorous academic awards selection process in the state. To be eligible to apply, students must meet one of three criteria: an ACT composite score of at least 30; a combined SAT evidence-based reading & writing and math score of at least 1370; or be selected as a National Merit Semifinalist.

Applicants are evaluated based on academic achievement, leadership and community service, as well as letters of recommendation and an essay submitted by each applicant. Chaired by retired educator Jan McClaren, the selection committee works independently of other foundation activities. The committee is made up of a diverse group of business, education and civic leaders along with past honorees.

The 2024 All-Staters scored an average of 33 on the ACT, with seven scoring a perfect score of 36. The students’ average grade point average is 4.25, and 41 are National Merit Semifinalists.