Anderson High School (AHS) senior Isaac Knost has been named a Commended Student in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship. Knost, who is the first AHS senior to receive this honor in nearly a decade, joins approximately 34,000 students across the country who are being recognized for their exceptional leadership promise.
“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). “We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”
Knost currently ranks 1st in the 2025 class at AHS with a 4.903 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. He has also exceeded the College Core and plans to graduate with 60 college credits and an associate’s degree from Ivy Tech.
I am really proud of Isaac,” said Terri Wilson, College and Career Counselor at AHS. “He’s a great student that is driven to be successful in all of his future endeavors.”
While he has achieved great academic success, it has never been about grades for Knost. For Isaac, whose parents Michael and Elizabeth are both teachers at AHS, it has been more about the joy of learning and discovering something new.
“The biggest impact my parents have had on me is fostering a sense of curiosity,” said Knost. “To enjoy learning. They never preached that I had to get all A’s. They focused on me putting in my best effort all the time.”
While Isaac is still undecided about where he will attend college, he is leaning towards pursuing a degree in Cybersecurity. Working in this field provides him the opportunity to do what he loves while at the same time making a positive impact on the world.
“What’s impressive is that while he has the ability to code and develop video games he would rather use his passion and talent to help people,” added Wilson.
In earning this designation Knost joins an exclusive group of students nationwide. He also becomes the first student from AHS in several years to be named a Commended Student by the NMSC. Although Commended Students will not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, some may be candidates for Special Scholarships offered by corporate sponsors (see sponsor list). NMSC will notify those candidates in November 2025.