NewsUpper SchoolStudent LifeServiceAcademics
Seniors named National Merit finalists
Mar 1, 2006 1:38 PM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Seniors Nick Lewis and Clark McGehee have been named finalists in the 2006 National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 15,000 scholastically talented high school seniors were selected as finalists, and have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $33 million.
"Both Nick and Clark are outstanding members of the Darlington community, and we are very proud of their accomplishments," said David Rhodes, associate headmaster and Upper School principal. "They are strong leaders, and both have excelled across the board."
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, students must fulfill several requirements and advance to the finalist level of the competition. Approximately half of the finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar title. More than 1.3 million juniors in nearly 21,000 U.S. high schools entered the 2006 National Merit Program by taking the 2004 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.
To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout the high school years, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student's earlier qualifying test performance. The student must also submit a self-descriptive essay and information about participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Lewis is a social liaison for Barnes House, has run cross country and track for four years, and is a member of The Darlington Players, Spanish Club, Math Team, Science Club, Environmental Awareness Club, National Honor Society, Boy Scouts and his church youth group.
McGehee is a state-ranked runner in cross country and track, is a section leader in the band, and is a member of French Club, Math Team, Science Club, National Honor Society, National French Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society) and is an Eagle Scout.
"Both Nick and Clark are outstanding members of the Darlington community, and we are very proud of their accomplishments," said David Rhodes, associate headmaster and Upper School principal. "They are strong leaders, and both have excelled across the board."
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, students must fulfill several requirements and advance to the finalist level of the competition. Approximately half of the finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar title. More than 1.3 million juniors in nearly 21,000 U.S. high schools entered the 2006 National Merit Program by taking the 2004 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.
To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout the high school years, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student's earlier qualifying test performance. The student must also submit a self-descriptive essay and information about participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Lewis is a social liaison for Barnes House, has run cross country and track for four years, and is a member of The Darlington Players, Spanish Club, Math Team, Science Club, Environmental Awareness Club, National Honor Society, Boy Scouts and his church youth group.
McGehee is a state-ranked runner in cross country and track, is a section leader in the band, and is a member of French Club, Math Team, Science Club, National Honor Society, National French Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society) and is an Eagle Scout.
