Semifinalists named in the 2011 national achievement scholarship program

Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation have recently announced the names of more than 1,600 Black American high school seniors who have been designated Semifinalists in the 47th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program.

These students now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 Achievement Scholarship awards, worth more than $2.5 million, to be offered next spring.

To be considered for a National Achievement Scholarship, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 80 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win an Achievement Scholarship award.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. It was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants. To date, more than 30,000 men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $96 million.

High school juniors from all parts of the United States requested consideration in the program when they took the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Semifinalists are designated within geographic regions and are the highest-scoring program entrants in the states that make up each region.

To advance to the finalist level in the competition, semifinalists must present a record of high academic performance throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, write an essay, and earn sat scores that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance. Also, the semifinalist and a high school official must complete a detailed scholarship application in which they provide information about the student’s participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and educational goals.

Approximately 1,300 Semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level in the 2011 program.

Semifinalists: 2011 National Achievement Program in the Madison Area

MADISON

BOB JONES High School

Caleb J. Bradford, 451

Michaela J. Brown, 870

Emanuel A. Waddell, 999

HARVEST

SPARKMAN High School

William D Carter, 452

Onyekachi C. Ezeibe, 628

Ezekiel A. Otueh, 450

Imani J. Tucker, 999