Canadian High School senior Laney Hood learned last week that she had been named a 2024 National Merit Scholar finalist. In doing so, she joins an elite group of only 15,000 students nationwide—about half of whom will share nearly $28 million in awards this year. She also becomes only the fourth CHS student (see list below) to reach that lofty level since the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) program began in 1955.

Despite glowing academic record compiled in her years at Canadian ISD, Laney seems a bit overwhelmed by it all.

“At first, I didn’t really study for it,” Laney said. “I just went with the flow for the test day. I tried my best, but really didn’t know what was coming.”

What was coming, she has now found, was a dizzying new world of opportunity. Since learning of the award, Laney has drawn the attention—through emails, post cards, letters and brochures—of some of the nation’s finest universities, including CalTech, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Laney first learned that she was an NMSC semifinalist—an honor, in itself—last fall. In order to qualify as a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received, and score well on SAT or ACT tests.

Among the considerations for finalist recognition are an outstanding academic record throughout high school, endorsement and recommendation by a high school official, and a written essay.

Laney cleared the bar easily. During her career at CHS, she has accrued a 4.7027 GPA, earned composite ACT scores of 35 and 36 (in English), completed 28 dual credit hours and ranks at the top of her class.

She earned her wings competing in Calculator Applications, Science, Number Sense and Computer Science in Regional UIL during her first two years of high school. She advanced to State as a sophomore, winning 7th-place in Calculator and 25th in Science, and improving to 6th and 7th in those events as a junior.

In addition, Laney has served as a class officer, a section leader in band, and a volunteer with the Hemphill County Library and Snack Pack for Kids. She credits that experience with having improved her problem-solving skills and her communication with others.

Asked what her hobbies are, Laney admitted that studying math and science had long been one of her favorite pursuits. “I’m definitely weird, because I like to study,” she said. “One of my favorite pastimes is reading my Biology textbook. I learn a lot about life and how amazing everything is.”

Outside of school, Laney also listens to a lot of music—especially KPop, another oddity, she admits. “I do craft quite a bit, and I like to crochet and paint.”

Although the possibilities ahead for Laney are limitless, she expects at this point to attend Texas Tech University. “My current plan is to have a dual major in mechanical engineering and computer science,” she said. “I wanted to do two majors so I would have two doors open, at least.”

Laney’s academic training began early. She comes from a family of teachers, having grown up under the tutelage of her parents, CHS teachers Wade and Dena Hood; her grandparents, retired teachers Jim and Pennie Hawley; and her sister Melody, who joined the Canadian ISD faculty as an 8th-grade science teacher this year.

“My parents are both teachers,” she said. “They have pushed me to pursue my own academic prowess, and pushed me to go into as many UIL events as possible. I’ve kept it up ever since elementary school, really.”

“Before I went to Pre-K,” Laney said, “I had Mimi’s Pre-K, where I learned all of the basics beforehand. I learned to read at a very young age, and learned vocabulary and math facts. My grandma and grandpa helped me develop those skills.”

“I go over to [my grandparents’] house as much as possible,” Laney added. “I spent a lot of my childhood with them.”

“My family is all my best friends,” Laney said.

She also credits former CHS teacher Steve Hutsell with encouraging her academic pursuits. “When I was a sophomore,” Laney said, “I really got into calculator UIL and I wanted some help getting deeper context. He took me and he gave me private lessons, and advanced me into calculus.”

Asked to describe her top two traits in a letter to the NMSC committee, Laney wrote this:

Top Trait: Intelligence

I value having knowledge and I am grateful for the unlimited access I have to it. I spend my free time reading science textbooks to expand the knowledge that I obtain. As I'm reading in topics of biology, I am astounded by how the world works and how intricately life is put together. Genetics is a rising field because of the invention of many different types of DNA technology. Researchers have revealed the amazing organization of the molecules within us. Each time I pick up my biology textbook, I find myself fully engrossed in the information printed on the pages.

Second Highest Trait: Observance

Each day, I can't wait to see the sunset. I love to watch the colors branch across the sky before the light disappears behind the Western mesas. It astounds me how beautiful the world can be if you just look up. Technology is a superb tool that we have access to, but nothing compares to nature itself. I have tried to capture the beauty of sunsets with a camera, and even the highest quality of lens cannot reproduce the true colors. I have learned to simply observe everything before it disappears. I carry that observance into my daily life as well. As I walk through the school hallways, I enjoy hearing the chirp of my classmates' voices as they laugh and talk with their friends. I choose to always live in the moment and never take any passing glimpse of beauty for granted.

Of the two traits mentioned above, one brings academic satisfaction while the other helps keep me grounded. I believe they will serve me well as I pursue a career in engineering or computer science. Being detail-oriented and intellectually curious are highly desirable skills in these industries.

This spring, three types of scholarships will be offered to the NMSC finalists. In addition to 2,500 scholarships for $2,500 awarded on a state-representational basis, the finalists will be eligible for about 840 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards, as well as 3,800 college-sponsored awards. Those scholarship recipients will join nearly 375,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title in its almost seven decades-long history.

NMSC is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. It was established specifically to honor the nation’s scholastic champions, and to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence.

 

Canadian High School
National Merit Scholars
 

National Merit Scholar Finalists

John Glenn, Jr. (1960)

Reid Minyen (1988)

Charles Hernandez (1985)

Laney Hood (2024)

Semi-Finalists

Nona Dale Snyder (1957)

Andrea Jackson (1959)

Betty Lee Abraham Cooper (1960)

Anne Hoobler (1959)

John Rogers (1961)

Hugh (Rusty) Wilson (1961)

Earl Rhea III (1964)

Mike Cullender (1966)

David Ezzell (1971)

Steve Schafer (1975)

National Merit Commended Scholar

Ben Ezzell Jr. (1961)

Rush Snyder Jr. (1961)

Philip Rogers (1962)

Cristy Cullender (1977)

Tony Cook (1991)

Leslie Weeks (1991)

Nick Hiemstra (1992)

Trey Kerrigan (1993)

Scott Franklin (1993)

Samantha Schafer (2008)

Grace Abraham (2019)

Stephen Pulliam (2020)

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Any additions or corrections to this list are welcome. Please contact editor@canadianrecord.com or call 806.323.6461. — Record Editor/Publisher Laurie Ezzell Brown