He is the only National Merit Semifinalist in St. Charles Parish this year. His last name is Genius.
Braden Genius, a senior at Hahnville High School, is one of only 237 students in Louisiana who scored the highest in the state on the 2023 PSAT, a preliminary test to the college entrance exam, or SAT. His score puts him in the running for college scholarships and the title of National Merit Finalist. Less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors met the criteria for a National Merit Semifinalist title this year, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Braden, a self-trained marathon runner, is on Hahnville High School’s tennis and cross-country teams. He volunteers as a tennis coach at the St. Charles Parish Parks and Recreation Department, is a member of the school’s Beta Club and its National Honor Society and is currently studying calculus and trigonometry. Self-improvement is what motivates him, he said.
“Motivation is a crucial part of being able to do something,” Braden said. “You have to want to be able to do something to do it. What motives me is just doing better than I can, or that I think I can.”
He credits his academic successes to always trying hard in school and the supportive teachers at Hahnville High.
“I am very interested in learning and just doing better than I did the previous day, and working harder,” Braden said.
Braden’s mom, Bryn Genius, described Braden as determined.
“When he decides that he wants to do something, he goes about meeting that goal,” she said.
Braden decided, last year, that he wanted to run a marathon, and in January, he finished second in his age group in the Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge. Crossing the finish line at the marathon in a little under three hours felt amazing, Braden said.
“It was just the proudest I have ever felt of a physical competition,” Braden said. “The months of training, and the years or running before that, culminated into something so amazing that I love so much.”
The race cemented the marathon as his favorite distance, he said.
“You don’t hear many high schoolers say that,” Braden said with a laugh. “But it makes you proud of what you’re able to achieve.”
Braden said his tennis coach, Crystal Cantrelle, and his cross-country coach, Randi Elliot, inspire him.
“They are always the ones that support me in the activities that are really, really difficult and trying on the mind,” Braden said. “And they are the ones that push me to do great at those activities, which then makes me believe more in myself than almost anything else.”
When Braden suffered a traumatic injury earlier this year, he said he realized how much support his has around him, from family and friends to coaches and teachers. And when, on Sept. 11, he was told by program coordinator Rachel Authement that he qualified as a National Merit Semifinalist, he was struck by the overwhelming congratulations and support from people who heard the news.
“Pretty much everyone thought that it was very, very awesome and that was super cool to get to experience,” he said.
Elliot said she yelled and jumped up and down when Braden told her he was a National Merit Semifinalist.
“He is a phenomenal young man,” Elliot said. “He always strives to be the best version of himself in and out of the classroom.”
Principal of Hahnville High School Jose Gonzales said the school is incredibly proud of Braden.
“The next steps he takes in his journey not only reflect the dedication to excellence, but also motivates all of us to strive to be better than we were yesterday,” Gonzales said.
The next step in the National Merit process is a detailed scholarship application, an essay, and scores from the SAT. About 15,000 students nationwide will qualify as National Merit Finalists and the National Merit Scholarships, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Braden said he is optimistic about his chances of winning the scholarships.
“There is not much of a point in being pessimistic,” Braden said. “You have to try your best.”
For his essay, Braden wrote about his traumatic injury. It was a pivotal moment that showed him how much different aspects of his life, like running and academics, meant to him, and how much dedication he truly had, he said.
“It would have been easy to stop,” he said. “But I didn’t, and I am proud of that.”
Braden hopes to study environmental sciences in college, and he is interested in attending Louisiana Tech University next fall. He said he plans to be a life long runner.
He will also continue to impress people with his last name.
“It’s at terribly ironic name,” Braden said. “It’s quite fun to get to say and it impresses a lot of people. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been told, ‘he’s actually a Genius!’”
