NCA STUDENTS: NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS!
Recently, we’ve received some wonderful news from NCA’s own Guidance Counselor, Kelli Larsen! Read below a few words from Mrs. Larsen regarding the news about two examples of NCA’s best!
“Northside seniors Lucas Maynard and Mary Kate Stanfield have been named as semifinalists in the 61st annual National Merit® Scholarship Program!
About 1.5 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2014 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Out of the 1.5 million juniors who entered, only 16,000 students from across the country were named semifinalists as part of the 2016 National Merit® Scholarship Program.
Mary Kate is a member of the National Honor Society and is involved in Student Council as the Fine Arts Officer of the Senior Class. She is active in her church youth group and attended a mission trip to serve underprivileged children in an urban area of Florida. Mary Kate is also the President of the International Thespian Society and, in addition to acting in the high school play, she volunteers backstage with the elementary and middle school plays each year. Mary Kate recently attended a summer academic program at Harvard and will graduate from Northside with an Advanced College Preparatory Diploma next June.
Lucas is involved in Student Council as the Vice Chairman for Education of the Senior Class. He is also a member of the National Honor Society, Chapel Committee and the track and cross-country teams. Lucas is active in his church and is a member of the Youth Leadership Team. He has accumulated over 200 hours of community service throughout high school. Lucas will graduate from Northside with an Advanced College Preparatory Diploma next June.
Lucas and Mary Kate will go on to compete for approximately 7,400 National Merit® Scholarships, worth about $32 million, that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.”
We are incredibly proud of these two and can’t wait to see how far they go, not only in the competition, but also throughout the course of their lives. They are looking to a very bright future and we are so blessed to have been a part of their educational development here at NCA! Way to go, guys – we’re pulling for you!