Eight Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists.
ASMSA students selected as Finalists include:
• Martin Boerwinkle of El Dorado, son of David and Robin Boerwinkle;
• Tenzing Briggs of Jasper, son of Robert Briggs of Parthenon and Kim Corrette of Parthenon;
• Carson Cato of Bryant, son of Lori and Kelly Cato;
• Brock Davis of Hot Springs, son of Doris and Will Davis;
• Jackson Gregory of Hot Springs, son of Bob and Denise Gregory;
• Dillon Meaders of Benton, son of Kim and Mike Meaders;
• Joe Sartini of Benton, son of Becky and Joe Sartini; and
• Kim Sloan of Harrison, daughter of James and Liz Sloan.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program in the fall of 2016. Twelve ASMSA students were selected as Semifinalists. To be considered as a Merit Scholarship award finalists, Semifinalists had to meet several requirements, including completing a detailed scholarship application that includes information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. Semifinalists also had to write an essay, receive a recommendation from a high school official and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s performance on the qualifying test.
The seniors who have been named Finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,400 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered this spring.
About 1.5 million juniors entered the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represented less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors.
The National Merit Scholarship Corp. is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. Scholarships are underwritten by the corporation with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share its goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
There are three types of scholarships that will be awarded this year. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships will be awarded by corporations and business organizations. About 190 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 3,900 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend their institution.
National Merit Scholarship winners for 2017 will be announced in four installments beginning in April and concluding in July.