As August starts to unfold, Belleville High School's recent grads are beginning to have their next chapters top of mind. As some prepare to start careers and new schools, grabbing onto the little things that make "home" feel like "home" become a little more essential knowing that change is inevitable. Everyone at this stage of the game likes to hold on to a little more summer before they turn their next page.

This time of year, planning for one's future is always challenging, but for some there is a ray of light illuminating their pathway forward, easing the financial burden of venturing out into the world away from friends and family. In the case of Zachary Thole, he just learned that the cost of his college education has gotten a little lighter, making taking his next steps forward a little easier.

The School District of Belleville is pleased to announce that 2022 graduate Zachary Thole was recently named one of seven Dane County High School seniors to win a college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship. It is an incredible honor to be one of just about 2,600 winners of this award nationally. District Administrator Nate Perry is delighted with Thole's academic success, "Since Zach was in middle school, he has been a serious student. He always had a plan, with his eyes toward the future. Zach continues a recent trend of Belleville High School National Merit Scholar winners. He has proven that he can accomplish whatever he sets his mind to!"

Thole himself is excited to receive this financial award which will help with his academic pursuits. One of 15,000 finalists in May, Thole was selected from this top performing pool of high school seniors who performed at an outstanding level on the SAT – a process that began for these award recipients back in 2020 when students first took the PSAT as a screening measure.

When asked about his accomplishments, Zach emphasizes the overall value of the award for what he put in on his end during his high school career, "I will say, though, that getting those beefy scholarships for fifty or so dollars (the cost to take the SAT), and some effort, is pretty nice."

Thole will be attending the University of Alabama with an annual renewable stipend for all four years as a result of being named a National Merit Scholar winner, beginning this fall as he starts his freshman year. Sponsoring colleges like the University of Alabama, where Thole will attend, select their scholarship winners from the list of finalists who plan to attend their academic institution. The University of Alabama is one of these 73 public and 82 private schools nationwide who offer the college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship. Thole's next chapter will be an exciting one bolstered by a well-deserved academic scholarship to help him pursue his dreams as he journeys to Alabama this autumn.