The Wood County Board of Education Tuesday honored the highest-scoring students on the Practice SAT in each grade level. Pictured are Parkersburg South High School freshman Allison Marks, left, Williamstown High School sophomore Jacob Huggins, center, and Parkersburg High School junior Isaac Hardy. (Photo by Michael Erb)

PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Board of Education Tuesday recognized four students for achieving high scores on the Practice SAT.

This marks the first year all freshmen and sophomores in Wood County Schools were required to take the practice exam. Juniors statewide take the SAT in the spring as part of West Virginia’s standardized test, but are not required to take the PSAT.

The board recognized four students Tuesday, a freshman, two sophomores and a junior, for having the highest PSAT scores in their grade level. The top possible score on the SAT/PSAT is 1600, and students must achieve at least an 1100 to qualify for the state Promise Scholarship.

Parkersburg South High School freshman Allison Marks scored a 1240 on the PSAT. Sophomores Jacob Huggins of Williamstown High School and Nicholas Murphy of South tied with a score of 1470. Parkersburg High School junior Isaac Hardy scored a 1440.

Superintendent Will Hosaflook visited each school last week to personally congratulate the students. Each was presented Tuesday with a certificate of achievement.

Parkersburg South High School sophomore Nicholas Murphy was one of four area students honored Tuesday by the Wood County Board of Education for their high scores on the Practice SAT. This marked the first year all freshmen and sophomores in Wood County Schools took the PSAT. (Photo Provided)

Hosaflook said officials are reviewing the county-wide PSAT scores to determine areas of academic need. The PSAT also includes online tools for students to study for future exams and the data can be drilled down to individual questions.

“We get an enormous amount of data from this PSAT,” Hosaflook said. “We can put the interventions in place, have a lot of good data to track. It is well worth the money, and hopefully by the time they reach 11th-grade … they’ll blow that SAT out of the water.”