Recognition of Morenci’s top academic students will broaden in 2011, when this year’s in-coming freshman take the stage at commencement.

The new recognition procedure will include scoring on the ACT test, which now takes the place of the state’s MEAP exam.

In the past, said high school principal Nate Parker, only two students have been officially recognized—the valedictorian and the salutatorian.

“The new process gives more recognition to the kids than in the past,” Parker said.