Fayette seniors honored nationally
Contact: Lisa Deffendall • First Posted: Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Nine Fayette County Public School seniors are among 2,500 winners of National Merit Scholarships announced recently. This round of $2,500 awards from the National Merit Corporation are given to the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. They were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors.
Winners include:
- Kimberly J. Ammons, of Tates Creek High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of education.
- Jason C. Grant of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of writing or theater.
- Mengting Li of Henry Clay High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of biology or medicine.
- Elizabeth A. Page of Henry Clay High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of marketing analysis.
- Rachel E. Simon of Henry Clay High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of theater.
- Lauren E. Smith, of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of law.
- James M. Staben, of Henry Clay High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of medicine.
- John Paul E. Stilz, of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of biomedical science.
- Yuan Wen of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, who hopes to pursue a career in the field of biochemical research or medicine.
This year’s competition for Merit Scholarship awards began in October 2005 when more than 1.4 million juniors in more than 21,000 U.S. high schools took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants.
Last fall, some 16,000 Semifinalists were designated on a state representational basis, in numbers proportional to each state’s percentage of the nation’s high school graduating seniors. Semifinalists were the highest scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of a state’s seniors. In all, 37 Fayette County students were named semi-finalists.