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One quarter of Gatton Academy seniors have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program, an honor which potentially opens the door college scholarship opportunities. In all, 12 members of the Class of 2012 will go on to the next round of the competition.
Over 1.5 million students in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Students are tested in math, critical reasoning, and writing. The 16,000 Semifinalists honored are the highest-scoring entrants in their state and represent less than 1 percent of each state’s high school seniors.
Since the Gatton Academy’s inception in 2007, the Gatton Academy has seen 45 total students named as National Semifinalists.
For these Gatton Academy seniors, it’s a great way to begin their final year of high school even as they focus on the college admissions process ahead. According to Gatton Academy Director Tim Gott, this is just the beginning of a busy—and rewarding—year.
“With this recognition, these students have earned a key that will open tremendous educational opportunities,” Gott said. “We look forward to seeing what these students will accomplish in the days ahead.”
To be considered in the rigorous competition for National Merit Scholarships, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by meeting additional standard and fulfilling several requirements. These include having a record of very high academic performance of college preparatory course work, submitting SAT scores that confirm PSAT performance, and being fully endorsed and recommended by a high school official.
Gatton Academy students honored in the program are recognized through their sending high school. Since students take the qualifying PSAT exam in October of their junior year of high school, much of the preparation stems from learning opportunities during their freshman and sophomore years of high school. The Gatton Academy builds on those experiences to provide students with a robust application and preparation for the SAT, a critical component in becoming a finalist.
“It is an incredible honor to be named a National Merit semifinalist,” Gott said. “These students have demonstrated a level of excellence that very few can claim. Their home schools and the Gatton Academy take great pleasure in working with these young people and being represented so well by their outstanding achievement.”
2012 Gatton Academy National Merit Semifinalists:
Michael Crocker (Bowling Green High School, Bowling Green)
Alexandra DeCarlo (South Laurel High School, London)
Daniel Dilger (Larry Ryle High School, Union)
Logan Eckler (Ludlow High School, Ludlow)
Samantha Hawtrey (Larry Ryle High School, Union)
Charlotte Humes (Nelson County High School, Bardstown)
Tennesse “Tucker” Joyce (Mercer County High School, Harrodsburg)
Curtlyn Kramer (Paul G. Blazer High School, Ashland)
Lori Lovell (Boone County High School, Florence)
Lukas Missik (Boyle County High School, Danville)
Holly Morris (Bowling Green High School, Bowling Green)
David Sekora (Franklin-Simpson High School, Franklin)
About the National Merit Scholarship Program
Established in 1955, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. NMSC is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and contributions to NMSC are tax deductible by the donor. NMSC conducts the National Merit® Scholarship Program and the National Achievement® Scholarship Program–annual competitions for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships.
Since its founding, NMSC has recognized 2.9 million students and provided over 360,000 scholarships worth more than $1.4 billion. The honors awarded by NMSC to exceptionally able students are viewed as definitive marks of excellence. Recipients of Merit Scholarship® awards, Achievement Scholarship® awards, and corporate-sponsored Special Scholarships have increased the nation’s respect for intellectual accomplishments and have contributed significantly to its talent pool of future leaders.
For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.
