Four M-W students named semifinalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program

Central Valley — Monroe-Woodbury High School Principal David Bernsley announced this week the following students have been named as semifinalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program: Qian Deng Daniel Lupia Jarran Pedersen Sneha Shashikumar About 1.5 million juniors in 22,000 high schools entered the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Approximately 16,000 students were named as 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 $34 million that will be offered next spring. To become a finalist, 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. The Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s essay and information about the Semifinalist’s participation and leadership in school and community activities. National Merit Scholarship winners of 2012 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.