MHS Senior Voegele is a National Merit Finalist and Scored 36 on the ACT

by Westmoore High School senior TK Hadden

MOORE, Okla. (Mar. 23, 2023) -- Moore High School senior Reese Voegele is fighting his way to the top and was recently selected as a National Merit Finalist. Even becoming a semi-finalist meant he scored in the top one percent of the state on the PSAT Exam. Of the millions of students who take the test across the U.S., only 16,000 become semi-finalists. Being selected as a finalist is even more rare. Voegele, who earned a perfect score on his ACT last year, attributes his success to three things: his family, his teachers, and most of all, personal discipline.  

Voegele said he is family-focused. Since he was a boy, his family has encouraged and kept him on task. Additionally, his mother, who is a teacher, taught him the subject material and study habits to be successful.

“My parents have always helped me; not in a nagging way, but in a way that kept me honest. Now, even though they don’t tell me when to study, I still use what they’ve taught and ingrained in me to be successful,” Voegele said.

Voegele has been in the Moore Public Schools district over his entire academic career and credits part of his success to the support of his previous teachers.

“I’ve been lucky to have the teachers I’ve had. I feel like there’s a select few that if I had not have been with them, I wouldn’t be where I am at today,” Voegele said. 

Despite being in the small one percent of test takers, Voegele does not see a huge difference between himself and his classmates. He believes the only thing that separates them is discipline and hard work. 

“I never really thought of myself as special. I just think I have always been very disciplined and I think anyone can be where I am as long as they are willing to put their head down and work hard,” Voegele said.  

Becoming a National Merit Finalist requires consistent studying, which Voegele has been doing his whole life. However, when he is not studying, Voegele can often be found at the baseball field or in the gym. Voegele plays catcher for Moore’s varsity baseball team.  

“When people hear someone scored a 36 on the ACT, I am not typically the image that comes to mind,” Voegele said.

With his academic accolades, Voegele has many options when it comes to careers. He has decided to attend the University of Oklahoma after high school graduation this May. He will pursue a major in Biology with plans to do something in the medical field. 

“Playing sports all my life, I have always been around physical therapy and, while I have found the field of health very interesting, I really want to use the skills I have to help others,” Voegele said.  

Learn more about the National Merit Scholar program at nationalmerit.org.