These students at Bob Jones High School qualified as National Merit Semifinalists and National Achievement Scholarship Finalists. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Outstanding academic performance qualified numerous Bob Jones High School students as National Merit Semifinalist and National Achievement Scholarship Finalist.

“More than 1.5 million students took the PSAT (Preliminary SAT)/NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) as juniors in October 2013,” Kathryn Champion, Bob Jones College and Career Advisor, said. “They entered the National Merit Program, a nationwide competition for recognition and awards by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.”

Approximately one-third of the highest performers were designated semifinalists on a state representational basis, Champion said.

National Merit Semifinalists at Bob Jones are Megan Carter, Aidan Crowe, Mae Crumbley, Vi Dang, Brody DeSilva, Nathan Fox, Camille Hebert, Katelyn McWhirter, David Mok, Alan Philip-George, Nick Sartor, Siddhu Srikakolapu, Tina Tian, Lafe Wallour and Max Ward.

National Merit Semifinalists rank as the top one percent of students in 30,517 U.S. public and private high schools. Semifinalists can continue to compete for 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth tens of millions.

In other commendations, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation also administers the annual National Achievement Scholarship Program. “This program is an academic competition for black Americans,” Champion said.

Finalists for the National Achievement Scholarship at Bob Jones are Lauren Odum, Crystal Ganatra and Candace Nixon.

“These scholastically promising young men and women are selected based on their abilities, accomplishments and potential for academic success in college,” Champion said.

Founded in 1964, the National Achievement Scholarship Program is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance.

Many of the participants earn scholarships. To-date, approximately 32,700 young men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards worth about $103 million.

Sheila P. Roberts, District College and Career Advisor for Madison City Schools, described all of these students as “a great group of scholars. One was accepted at Yale, another Northwestern, Swarthmore, Duke, Vanderbilt, Cornell … so proud of them.”

“They are the brightest of the bright,” Bob Jones Principal Robby Parker said.