Five Olentangy students have qualified as Semifinalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program, giving them a chance to compete for approximately 8,400 scholarships worth more than $36 million.
“I’m so proud of these students for their hard work and dedication to their studies,” said Superintendent Wade Lucas, Ed.D. “I’d also like to congratulate the family members and the dedicated Olentangy staff members who have been there to guide and support them in their academic careers.”
The Olentangy students are among approximately 1.5 million high school students across the country that entered the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Of those entrants, approximately 16,000 high scorers qualify as Semifinalists.
Semifinalists represent the highest scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. Olentangy students named 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists are:
* David L., Olentangy High School (OHS);
* Ryan M., Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS);
* Grace P., OLHS;
* Matthew V., Olentangy Orange High School (OOHS); and
* Chloe V., OOHS.
Later this month, The National Merit Scholarship Program will release its list of approximately 34,000 Commended Students. These students placed among the top 50,000 high scores on the 2009 PSAT/NMSQT but did not achieve Semifinalist status. They will receive letters of commendation in recognition of outstanding academic promise.
In February, the National Merit Scholarship program expects to notify approximately 90% of the 16,000 Semifinalists that they advanced to Finalist status after fulfilling several requirements, including having a record of a high academic achievement in grades nine through 12 and earning a high score on the SAT. Students from this group will compete for $2,500 scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Program, corporate-sponsored scholarships and college-sponsored scholarships. Announcement of scholarship winners will begin in March 2011.
Olentangy’s Commended Students and Semifinalists will be recognized during the Board of Education meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27 at the district’s Administrative Offices, 814 Shanahan Road in Lewis Center.
For more information on the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit www.nationalmerit.org.