Five Westminster Schools Students Are 2015 National Achievement Scholarship Competition Semifinalists

Staff Report

ATLANTA – The Westminster Schools has announced five students as semifinalists in the 2015 National Achievement Scholarship program, an academic competition for black high school students:

· Rachel Alexander

· Kerrie A. Greene

· Noah C. Nix

· Gevin B. Reynolds

· Maia C. Young

The National Achievement Scholarship Program is an academic competition established in 1964 to provide recognition for outstanding black American high school students. Students may enter both the National Achievement Program and the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and meeting other published requirements for participation. Students can qualify for recognition and be honored as scholars in both the National Merit Program and the National Achievement Program, but can receive only one monetary award from National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Of the more than 160,000 students who currently enter the National Achievement Program each year, more than 4,700 are honored. A group of about 3,100 outstanding participants are referred to colleges for their potential for academic success. The five Westminster students are among a smaller group of about 1,600 who were named semifinalists, the only students who have an opportunity to advance in the competition for National Achievement Scholarships. Semifinalists are named on a regional representation basis, and are the highest-scoring program participants in the states that constitute each region. Finalists will be notified in late January 2015.