Nearly 200 graduating seniors from South Dakota’s public, private and Tribal/Bureau of Indian Education schools were honored at the 2018 Academic Excellence Recognition Luncheon, which honors the top one percent of graduating seniors from the class of 2018, on Monday, April 23, at the Ramkota Rivercentre in Pierre.

Nathan Linke of Woonsocket High School was one of the students honored.

This year marks the 28th annual luncheon hosted by Associated School Boards of South Dakota in association with Governor Dennis Daugaard, the School Administrators of South Dakota and the Department of Education.

Following Gov. Daugaard’s speech, each student in attendance was presented a certificate and pin, personally greeted by the governor and had their photo taken with him.

The event is sponsored by the South Dakota Board of Regents, the South Dakota Community Foundation and the South Dakota Education Association.