Summer Black (middle), a 2018 Warren Area High School graduate, signs her NCAA National Letter of Intent to ride for the Seton Hill University Equestrian team. At left is Black’s mother, Kim, and at right is Warren Area High School principal Jeff Flickner.

On Monday, Summer Black signed her NCAA National Letter of Intent to ride for the NCAA Division II Equestrian team at Seton Hill University.

At Seton Hill, which is located in Greensburg, Pa., she will be under the guidance of head coach Beckie Bloom.

Black, who received a generous scholarship, has been jumping horses for several years and earned numerous awards. She has been in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association riding for Alfred University and Lake Effect Equestrian for the past three years. She qualified for the IEA Regionals and Zones all three years and advanced to the National Finals her sophomore year.

As impressive as that is, her academic achievements are even more so .

She just turned 17 three weeks ago and graduated second in her class this year from Warren Area High School as salutatorian. She graduated a year early, skipping her junior year.

Black attended St. Bonaventure’s Dual Enrollment, where she received 31 college credits. Seton Hill accepted all 31 of her college credits and declared her as starting as a sophomore.

Along with riding on the equestrian team, she will be dual majoring in Biochemistry and Health Science Pre Medicine with a minor in Spanish. Her dream is to become a surgeon.

Her parents, Kim and Jack, describe her as a very determined and driven young lady that puts her all into everything she sets out to do.

“Her father Jack and I are very proud,” her mother said.