MCHS Senior Semifinalist for National Merit Scholarship

Rebecca Deluga, 18, Senior at Minooka Community High School

Rebecca Deluga has joined a group. Not just any group, like an extra-circular activity. Something more on the national level of things.

Deluga recently was named a semifinalist in the 57th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program. She joins approximately 16,000 other semifinalists from high schools across the country who will continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million.

“I was so excited and very happy,”  Deluga said of her achievement. “I was hoping to be a winner.”

Over 1.5 million juniors in some 22,000 high schools across the country entered the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. This test, served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. Participants must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by their high school principal and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Finalists will be announced this coming spring and Deluga is confident that she has an outstanding chance of having her name on that list. 

For the time being, Deluga is enjoying her final year at MCHS. 

Currently she has a small role in the drama club’s performance of “You Can’t Take It With You.” As the thespian historian, Deluga is putting together a scrapbook, highlighting this year’s theater events. Although she wishes she knew what the spring musical will be, she still has plans to audition.

Deluga’s academics reflect in her class schedule of honor courses. She also is a member of both the National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society. She helps plan various activities for seniors, including the sale of senior spirit wear, as part of her involvement in the Senior Class Committee.

Math is Deluga’s strong point. 

She puts her love for Math to the test as a competitor for the Math team. As treasurer of the Senior Class Committee she balances the check book. Proceeds from the spirit wear sale will help fund the senior banquet in the spring, she said. 

Deluga is even enrolled in on-line Calculus II through the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. According to her, “It's not difficult.”

“I love Math,” Deluga said. “There is something in Math that fits my personality.”

Enough to consider working with numbers and studying actuarial science at Drake University next fall. This science applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries.

Deluga commented that her free time is sparse, but she is considering tackling a double major at Drake. She would like to include musical theater in her studies.

“I like how it feels to be on stage when I’m singing and acting,” Deluga said.

And she knows that her mom will back her 100 percent in her decision.

“My mom helps me through almost everything,” Deluga said. “She backs be up in everything I do.