Four Cherokee Students Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

Staff Report

Four Cherokee County School District seniors today were named semifinalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Kathryn Huller of Cherokee High School, Joshua Whitley of Creekview High School, Joseph D. Litrel of Etowah High School and Chetan Velivela of River Ridge High School join academically talented high school seniors from across the country in competing for 7,600 in scholarships worth $33 million that will be awarded in the spring.

About 1.4 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2013 PSAT; the nationwide pool of 16,000 semifinalists, representing less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

For the next step of the competition, semifinalists submit an application including their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received; as well as an essay, a recommendation from a high school official and evidence they have earned grades that confirm their outstanding PSAT performance.

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