Forty-Five Seniors Named Semifinalists in 2010 National Achievement Scholarship Competition
October 4, 2009
CHARLESTON, SC – October 4, 2009 – Forty-five Black American seniors in 30 South Carolina public high schools have been named 2010 semifinalists in the 46th annual National Achievement Scholarship competition. They are among more than 1,600 students to achieve this honor nationwide.
Semifinalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 scholarships worth over $2.6 million to be awarded next spring. The National Achievement Program is conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and began in 1964 to recognize promising black students.
Charleston County’s Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston had the largest number of South Carolina semifinalists with four. Three schools – Richland District Two’s Richland Northeast High and Blythewood High, plus the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics in Hartsville – had three semifinalists each. Six students from four private schools also qualified.
Approximately 1,300 semifinalists are expected to fulfill additional requirements and advance to the finalist level. All National Achievement Scholars will be selected from the finalist group on the basis of their abilities, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
More than 160,000 high school juniors from all parts of the United States entered the 2010 National Achievement Program when they took the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Semifinalists are designated within geographic regions and are the highest-scoring program entrants in the states that make up each region.
National Achievement Scholarships for 2010 will be supported by corporations, professional organizations, foundations and by National Merit’s own funds. Two types of scholarships will be offered – one-time National Achievement $2,500 scholarships, which will be presented on a regional representation basis, and about 100 Achievement Scholarships that are corporate-sponsored and may be renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study. Winners’ names will be announced in early April.
South Carolina Public School Semifinalists
2010 National Achievement Scholarship Program
AIKEN
AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL
Rice, Briana C.
ANDERSON
WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
Johnson, Destinee K.
BLUFFTON
BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL
Gadson, Deshara L.
BLYTHEWOOD
BLYTHEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Bethel, Gabriel
Kelly, Jori S.
Raiford, Deandre A.
CHESTER
CHESTER HIGH SCHOOL
Price, Courtney L.
COLUMBIA
DREHER HIGH SCHOOL
Boyd, Dominic M.
Caple, Johanna R.
IRMO HIGH SCHOOL
Motes, Jalen W.
Treacy, David E.
RICHLAND NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL
Brown, Jerard S.
Dubard, Mekeda I.
Sligh, Gervon D.
RIDGE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL
Davis, Christopher E.
Rose, Chanell J.
DILLON
DILLON HIGH SCHOOL
Lighty, Hadassah P.
FLORENCE
WEST FLORENCE HIGH SCHOOL
Mate, James K.
GEORGETOWN
GEORGETOWN HIGH SCHOOL
Smalls, Justin J.
GREENVILLE
SOUTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL
Sabripour, Ashley M.
GREENWOOD
GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Nicholson, Floyd M.
HANAHAN
HANAHAN HIGH SCHOOL
Cotton, Zachary A.
HARTSVILLE
GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL – SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS
Gary, Casey C.
Jamison, Lauryn C.
Moore, Jassiem N.
HOPKINS
LOWER RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL
Moore, Steven T.
IRMO
DUTCH FORK HIGH SCHOOL
Velazquez, Jordan C.
LEXINGTON
LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
Blocker, Ryan K.
LITTLE RIVER
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH HIGH SCHOOL
Ward, Shirra L.
NORTH AUGUSTA
NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL
Broaden, Devin M.
Gamble, Nicholas P.
NORTH CHARLESTON
ACADEMIC MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL
Calloway, Jacqueline A.
Deveaux, Meggan M.
Matthews, Olivia K.
Snipe, Leah D.
CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL
OF THE ARTS
Hilton, Allison M.
FORT DORCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL
Formey, Christopher A.
ROCK HILL
NORTHWESTERN HIGH SCHOOL
Brown, Jasmine A.
ROCK HILL HIGH SCHOOL
Brown, Kristen A.
Gordon, Devin A.
ROEBUCK
DORMAN HIGH SCHOOL
Hutchinson, Latia J.
Sanders, Briosha N.
SUMMERVILLE
SUMMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Jenkins, Bethany K.
WALTERBORO
COLLETON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Brooks, Renee D.
WOODRUFF
WOODRUFF HIGH SCHOOL
Lane, Brittney N.
