Children Spotlight of the Week: Marcus McCullough,The Scholar Who Turned Determination into Excellence
When Columbus Alternative High School (CAHS) senior Marcus McCullough heard his name called out of math class one September morning, he didn’t expect the news that followed. His school counselor, Dr. Drew Milligan, greeted him with a smile and asked, “Have you heard the news? You are a semifinalist!”
In that moment, Marcus joined one of the most elite academic groups in the United States, the National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, representing the top 1% of high school seniors nationwide who excelled on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). For Marcus, the recognition was more than an academic milestone; it was the reward for years of quiet discipline, focus, and perseverance.
“For it to actually happen, it feels a lot better than I thought it was going to feel,” Marcus said, reflecting on the moment that changed his high school journey.
Dr. Milligan described the achievement as a fitting reflection of Marcus’s daily commitment to learning. “The recognition represents [Marcus’s] larger achievements but also the important work he has put in each day throughout the last four years and beyond,” he said.
Marcus’s path to excellence began long before this recognition. As a sophomore, he sat next to a past semifinalist in class , a student who went on to become a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship competition. That experience lit a spark. “That’s something I want to go for,” Marcus remembered thinking.
From that day, he became intentional about every test, every study session, and every assignment. “Sophomore year I knew, like looking at my PSAT scores, seeing his and hearing that he was a semifinalist, I said, I want to go for that. Prepping for the SAT and PSAT, that was always in my mind,” he explained.
At CAHS, Marcus is known for his relentless commitment to excellence. He is currently pursuing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, one of the most rigorous academic programs offered at the high school level. But beyond his coursework, what truly defines him is his personal standard for effort and integrity. “I can not sit down and do something halfway. I need to do the whole thing and make sure it’s to my own standards,” Marcus said.
That philosophy, to give his best in everything has guided him through years of hard work. Yet, despite his remarkable achievements, Marcus remains grounded and humble. He often reminds his peers that success is not about being perfect, but about staying calm, focused, and true to one’s effort.
“I don’t think I am the smartest person in the District,” he said. “With me, I do not really let the nerves get to me. I know what I am capable of and whatever I score is what I’m going to score. That’s a big thing, just knowing deep down, it’s okay.”
His words carry wisdom beyond his years: “You really should not let things weigh down on you very much. Just focus on you. Do what you can and it’s going to be okay. Not everything’s going to be perfect, and that’s acceptable. No one is perfect, and no one has to be.”
Marcus’s journey is a powerful reminder of what is possible when passion meets perseverance. From the gifted program in his early years to the demanding IB curriculum at CAHS, he has consistently demonstrated that excellence is built day by day, through commitment, focus, and belief in oneself.
