By Lisa Magers/CISD Community Services
Cleburne High School senior Alexis “Lexy” Hitchcock has been honored by the 2010 National Merit Scholarship program as a commended student.
Hitchcock’s index score on the 2008 PSAT, which she took as a sophomore, was among the top 50,000 recorded by the 1.5 million students taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
Her performance on the PSAT placed her in the 93-plus percentile in critical reading; 98-plus percentile in writing and 88-plus percentile in math.
She was recognized for her achievement by the CISD board of trustees at its monthly meeting on Nov. 9.
Hitchcock, whose grade point average ranks her in the top five in the CHS Class of 2010, plans to study music and English at Baylor University, where she has been accepted and awarded a $54,000 academic scholarship.
“I kind of want to be a librarian,” said Hitchcock, whose interest in the profession was sparked by Smith Middle School Librarian Phyllis McPherson. “Mrs. McPherson influenced me to pursue that as a career when I was in middle school.”
Hitchcock also loves music. She has been a member of the CISD band program since the sixth grade and plays both flute and piccolo.
She served as head drum major of the Golden Pride this year and is now busy with holiday music in preparation for the wind ensemble’s annual Christmas Concert.
Her college plans include marching in Baylor’s Golden Wave Band.
“I considered the University of Texas but have always leaned a little more toward Baylor because I’ve gone there the past three summers for music camp,” Hitchcock said. “I know the campus pretty well.”
One of her senior goals involves music. She was named to the Texas Music Educators Association all-region band as a junior. This year, she’s looking beyond all-region to the all-area band.
She has a planned return to the UIL state solo and ensemble contest for her fourth and final time on her list as well.
Hitchcock, who said English and history are her best subjects, said the commended student honor from the National Merit Scholarship program came as a surprise.
“It was a pretty hard test,” she said. “I didn’t know the answers to some of the questions. I left feeling I did pretty good, but I was surprised to find out I was commended.”
“I’ve gotten a lot of stuff in the mail because of it,” Hitchcock said. “I’ve never heard of a lot of the schools who’ve sent me information.”
As she counts off the days in her final year of high school, Hitchcock says she is trying to make every moment count.
“I’m enjoying my senior year,” she said. “I cried at the last football game when, as drum majors, we dismissed the band. I like where I am — it will be hard to leave friends behind.”
She’s also studying a lot.
“I think I’m a mix,” Hitchcock said. “I work hard, usually spending at one least day on the weekend on homework. But I try not to get stressed by it all. I’m a bit of a procrastinator, but I work well under pressure. I’ve probably battled senioritis a little, too.”
Her activities at CHS have included National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Beta Club, Teen Library Board, Exchangettes and the Teen Court program.
Hitchcock plays flute with the Brazos Chamber Orchestra and is active in the youth group and praise band at First United Methodist Church.
A 2009 nominee for Miss Golden Pride, her band honors include outstanding sophomore, top band student award, outstanding woodwind award and Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award, and she has been a leadership award recipient the past three years.
She is the daughter of Alison Hitchcock and the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Philp.
