High School Seniors Named National Merit Scholarship Finalists

CANTON, GA -- Six Cherokee County School District high school seniors have qualified as finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship competition.

Students qualifying in this year's competition are Jack Pace of Creekview High School; Anabelle Paulino of River Ridge High School; Katie Bates and Alex Morrison of Sequoyah High School; and Alex Handon and A.J. Cox of Woodstock High School.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which oversees the prestigious competition, narrowed the finalists down from a group of 16,000 semi-finalists nationally, who were selected based on outstanding 2015 PSAT scores. Less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors are named finalists.

To be considered as a finalist, the students submitted detailed applications noting their academic achievements, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors; an endorsement and recommendation from a high school official; and an essay. Students also must earn SAT scores that confirm their PSAT performance.

Finalists will compete for 7,500 scholarships worth about $33 million, which will be awarded in the spring. Approximately half of all finalists will win a scholarship.

In the National Merit® Scholarship Program, three types of Merit Scholarship® awards are offered to Finalists: National Merit $2500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards, and college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards. Special Scholarships are awarded to outstanding students who are not finalists and meet a corporate sponsor's criteria.

Photo 1: Katie Bates

Photo 2: Alex Handon

Photo 3: Alex Morrison

Photo 4: Anabelle Paulino

Photo 5: A.J. Cox

Photo 6: Jack Pace

Photo credits: Cherokee County School District