Each spring Richland One holds a special recognition banquet to honor high school seniors who rank in the top 10 percent of their class, have at least a 3.5 grade–point average, and no grade lower than a C for any subject completed for high school credit.

This year’s Richland One Academic All–Stars Banquet was held April 20 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center with nearly 600 people in attendance. In the spotlight were 129 high– achieving students representing the district’s seven high schools, Columbia, Dreher, Eau Claire, A.C. Flora, C.A. Johnson, Keenan and Lower Richland, and the Richland One Middle College.

The 129 Academic All- Stars honored at the banquet are some of the best and brightest students in Richland One, South Carolina and the United States. This distinguished group includes National Merit Scholarship finalists, National Achievement Scholars, members of state championship–winning academic and athletics teams, and talented visual and performing artists.

More than 1,300 students have been recognized as Academic All- Stars since the program began in the 2001–2002 school year as an expansion of the district’s High School Scholars program that encourages students to pursue excellence by taking rigorous academic courses and participating in co–curricular activities and community service.