Many District 207 Students Honored by National Merit Scholarship Program

Many Maine Township High School District 207 seniors have earned the status of National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist and several other students have been named Commended Students. In addition, many District 207 students earned the National Hispanic Recognition Award this year, the first year for this recognition category. The semifinalists, commended and recognition are determined by performance on the PSAT taken by students in their junior year of high school.

The semifinalists include Sarah Phan and Noah Trivedi from Maine East; and Kyungsoo Chon and Emily Keller from Maine South.

The commended students include: Natalia Barna, Khadejah Fatima, Lucas Mc Donough, Rishi Shah and Krisna Vasnani from Maine East; and Lola Bahrs, Chloe Bai, Julia Beck, Coleen Compton, Karl Jackiewicz, Georgia Kleinschmit, Joseph Mascort, Janine May, Sophia Nasby, Sara Plaza, Karl Rizzo, Ivan Shapkarov, Sean Stachorek, Edward Starecheski, Alexander Wille and Makala Wilson.

The National Hispanic Recognition Award winners include: Amina Marin, Joseph Mascort, Maya Ortiz, Olivia Killian, Sara Plaza and Sofia Martinez from Maine South; and Alejandra Contecha, Cynthia Del Rio Martinez, David Abraham Jimenez, Gabriel Da Silva and Tais Vivar from Maine West.

Each year more than 1.6 million juniors in nearly 22,000 U.S. high schools enter the Merit Program. Semifinalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,300 Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be awarded next spring to Finalists. That process includes a detailed application process for the students. Three types of Merit Scholarships will be offered:

• 2,500 one-time National Merit $2,500 Scholarships for which all finalists will be considered, and that are supported by business organizations and NMSC's own funds

- approximately 1,000 corporate sponsored Merit Scholarships that are specified for finalists who meet a company or business grantor's preferential criteria

• Approximately 4,800 college sponsored Merit Scholarships that are available only for finalists who will attend their respective sponsor institution.

All Merit Scholar designees are chosen on the basis of their abilities, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin or religious preference.