Two JHS Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

Above: 2008 National Merit Semifinalists (from left): Laura Dimmit and Alan Liu

Joplin High School seniors Laura Dimmit and Alan Liu have been named Semifinalists in the 53rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The students are among approximately 16,000 scholastically talented high school seniors nationwide who will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $34 million, to be offered next spring.

“We are very proud of both Laura and Alan for the interest and dedication to academics at Joplin High School,” says JHS Principal, Dr. Kerry Sachetta. “They are both fine young adults who are leaders in our school scholastically as well as in many other activities.”

Along with 1.4 million other students across the country, Laura and Alan entered the 2008 National Merit Program as high school juniors by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than 1% of US high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Laura and Alan must advance to Finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and other requirements. About 90% of Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar title. Merit Scholar designees are selected based on their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

More information about the National Merit Scholarship Program can be found at www.nationalmerit.org.

posted 09/13/07