A local Montgomery County High School sophomore is in the running to become America’s Favorite Student.
Voting began March 16 and has already been narrowed to the top five competitors in each group.
At press time, Jaxon Barnes stood in fourth place in his group. Voting for group finalists ends at 7 p.m. Pacific Time Thursday, April 23.
Public voting will help reduce competitors to one preliminary winner in each group finals who will then advance to the quarterfinals.
The grand prize winner of the 2026 America’s Favorite Student competition will be featured in Reader’s Digest, get to tour the Planetary Society with Bill Nye The Science Guy in Pasadena, Calif., and win $20,000.
According to his bio, Jaxon is a member of FFA and wants to pursue a degree in poultry science upon graduation.
His bio says he loves being a student because he enjoys learning and expanding his knowledge on topics. Jaxon’s favorite subjects are science and agriculture.
As an FFA member, his mother, Toni Henderson Barnes, said her son stays active.
News of his nomination might come as a bit of a surprise, as Toni told the Advocate Jaxon is unaware she submitted info for the contest.
“He actually doesn’t know I signed him up. I wanted to surprise him ... he has had a lot of health issues and surgeries the past couple of years and I wanted to surprise him with something good.”
His bio adds, “He is an example of kindness, integrity and strength. He works hard daily to achieve his goals despite hardships with health he has faced.”
For Jaxon, $20,000 would help him achieve his dream of attending college and obtaining a degree in poultry science.
MCHS Principal Holly Lawson told the Advocate, “Jaxon is an amazing student at MCHS. He is an active FFA member and works to serve our local chapter. Jaxon participates in multiple agriculture pathways, and it is evident that this is his passion.”
You can vote once daily for Jaxon free at https://americasfavstudent.org/2026/jaxon-78
You can also vote by donation. Donations support The Planetary Society, a nonprofit, and its mission to inspire curiosity and help shape the future of space exploration for everyone.
Quarterfinals run April 27-May 7; semifinals begin May 8-May 14 and finals are May 15-May 21).
The grand prize winner will be announced on or before June 5.
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