Tonight, we had the incredible honor of celebrating 39 outstanding 8th graders from Carver and McCracken Middle Schools who have earned the prestigious distinction of South Carolina Junior Scholar.
This recognition places them among the highest-achieving students in the state and within an elite group of Spartanburg County students who earned the honor out of more than 4,000 8th graders across our region.
To earn this distinction, students met rigorous PSAT benchmarks established by the South Carolina Department of Education, demonstrating exceptional strength in reading, writing, and mathematics. This milestone is just the beginning: As Junior Scholars, these students are now on a path that may lead to future recognition through the National Merit Scholarship Program.
We are confident these students will continue to shine brightly in the years ahead as they continue District 7’s strong tradition of academic excellence.
During the ceremony in our D7 Fine Arts Center, Superintendent Jeff Stevens shared, “This achievement reflects more than individual success; it represents the collective support of families, teachers, and staff working together to help our students reach their highest potential.”
In addition to recognizing each Junior Scholar, we also celebrated our highest scoring students:
⭐ Motley Carter – Highest Score in Reading & Writing
⭐ Eric Battocchio – Highest Mathematics Score
⭐ Claudia Wright – Highest Overall Score
We are proud to recognize our 2026 South Carolina Junior Scholars:
Nora Atkinson, Kaian Ayala, Eric Battocchio, Alexander Braun, Coleman Brewton, Motley Carter, Emily Louise Cashman, Emilio Chavez-Perez, Katie Rhyan Davis, Eliza Edwards, Caitlyn Freeman Mullins, Elizabeth Fritz, Gabriel Guffey, Kenzie Hazelwood, Kendrick Lipscomb, Bradley Malaythong, Victoria Meeks, Caroline Neely, Ramsey Neely, Timothy Nichols, Andrew O'Brien, Kennedy Ooley, Stanley Pack, Ophelia Wren Padgett, Betsy Ratterree, Clara Saad, Jonathan Santos-Ortiz, Quinn Scales, Holden Setterlund, Wren Clare Sikma, Mikayla Solovskiy, Wilson Steinecke, Gamble Tate, Aiden Teague, Alexander Valladares, Ashton Wathano, Ruby Williams-Brown, Edie Wood, and Claudia Wright.
Their achievement reflects dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence, and it is made even stronger by the educators and families who support them every step of the way.