6 District Five students advance in National Merit scholarship contest
February 20, 2015
IRMO, SC – Six students from Lexington-Richland School District Five have been named finalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Finalists from District Five include: Lucas Barnes (Chapin High), Abby Holdeman (Chapin High), Casey Brayton (Dutch Fork High), Lauren Davis (Irmo High), Nicholas Leonhardt (Irmo High) and Maximilian Westerkam (Irmo High). Among the 1.4 million students from 22,000 high schools who applied, only 15,000 nationwide have been named National Merit finalists this year. More than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
Photo Caption: (Top row from left to right): Abby Holdeman (Chapin High), Lucas Barnes (Chapin High) and Casey Brayton (Dutch Fork High). (Bottom row left to right) Maximilian Westerkam (Irmo High), Lauren Davis (Irmo High) and Nicholas Leonhardt (Irmo High). These six students from Lexington-Richland School District Five have been named finalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Chapin High School Principal Dr. Akil Ross said, “We are so proud of our students. Not only are Lucas and Abby accomplished inside of the classroom, they are leaders outside of the classroom as well. They serve as leaders among their peers because they look for opportunities to grow and follow their passions. We applaud and commend them for their success, and I look forward to their bright futures.”
Dutch Fork High School Principal Dr. Greg Owings added, “We are certainly proud of Casey Brayton on being named a National Merit finalist this year. Casey represents the best of what we hope for in our students. In the classroom and beyond, Casey has shown outstanding academic performance and leadership as a student at Dutch Fork High School. Congratulations to Casey on her outstanding achievement.”
The National Merit® Scholarship Program started in 1955 as an academic competition for recognition and awards. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) – a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.4 million entrants annually. Three types of National Merit Scholarships are awarded each year, including National Merit® $2,500 Scholarships, Corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards and College-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.
Irmo High School Principal David Riegel congratulated his school’s semifinalists: “Our National Merit finalists exemplify what we mean when we talk about Irmo High School’s Proud Past and Bright Future. All three finalists are diploma candidates in our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, and we are proud of their outstanding accomplishment and the efforts they have put forth to excel as IB students. They are inquisitive and exceptional students with an ambition to serve. I am sure they will do great things with their talents in the future.”
