11 Gatton Academy Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

Nearly 20% of Gatton Academy seniors have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program, an honor which potentially opens the door college scholarship opportunities.  In all, 11 members of the Class of 2011 will go on to the next round of the competition.

Over 1.5 million students in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2009 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.

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 remarkable young people have been strongly prepared by their home high schools and the Gatton Academy is privileged to be able to contribute to the ongoing education of these outstanding students.”

2011 Gatton Academy National Merit Semifinalists:
Michael Bowie  (Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Fayette County)
Katherine Goebel  (Shelby County High School, Shelby County)
Justine Missik  (Boyle County High School, Boyle County)
Tejas Sangoi  (Daviess County High School, Daviess County)
Tyler Scaff  (Oldham County High School, Oldham County)
Natalie Schieber  (Elizabethtown High School, Hardin County)
Sarah Schrader  (Greenwood High School, Warren County)
Jonathan Serpico  (Elizabethtown High School, Hardin County)
Josh Song  (Bowling Green High School, Warren County)
Paras Vora  (Daviess County High School, Daviess County)
Kelsey Wagner  (Bullitt East High School, Bullitt County)

Finalists will be named in winter 2011.

For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.

Class of 2011, Gatton Academy, Kentucky, national merit, National Merit Semifinalists, Semifinalists