DCSD News

Fletcher Named National Merit Semi-Finalist

(September 14, 2012) – Brock Fletcher, a senior at Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology, is among the 16,000 semifinalists in the 57th annual National Merit Scholarship program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8.300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring.

“We are very proud of Brock,” said District Superintendent Dr. Rainey Knight. “Only the top one percent of our nation’s high school seniors make it to the semifinalist stage. Brock is an exceptional young man and student leader. I think we can expect great things from him.”

Fletcher is state Vice President of the National Beta Club and historian of Mayo’s Student Government Association. This summer he attended Palmetto Boys State and the Broyhill Leadership Conference, where he served as Council President. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Club, and the Environmental Club at his school. Brock is a competitive swimmer and captain of the Hartsville High School swim team. He is also very active in his community and his church.

More than 1.5 million juniors in over 22,000 high schools entered the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as an initial screening. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. To advance to the finalist stage, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

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 semifinalists are expected to advance to the finalist level, and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

A detailed scholarship application – including an essay and information about the student’s participation and leadership in school and community activities – also is required. Merit Scholars will be selected from the finalist pool on the basis of their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference. Scholarship awards will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning next April and concluding in July.

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Back   14.09.2012.