The U.S. Achievement Academy has announced that Melanie Tucci of St. Louis has been named a U.S. National Award Winner in foreign language.

This award is a prestigious honor very few students can ever hope to attain. In fact, the academy recognizes fewer than 10 percent of all American high school students.

Tucci, who attends Oakville Senior High School, was nominated for this national award by Carol Robinson, a teacher at the school. She will appear in the Achievement Academy’s Official Yearbook that is published nationally.

“Recognizing and supporting our youth is more important than ever before in America’s history. Certainly, United States Achievement Academy winners should be congratulated and appreciated for their dedication to excellence and achievement,” U.S. Achievement Academy founder George Stevens stated in a news release.

The academy selects winners upon the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors and other qualified sponsors and upon the standards of selection set forth by the academy.

The criteria for selection are a student’s academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn and improve, citizenship, attitude and cooperative spirit, dependability and recommendation from a qualified sponsor.

Tucci is the daughter of Michael Tucci and Chris Petrillo.