10 Students Named National Merit Semifinalists

Ten students have been named 2011-2012 National Merit semifinalists based on their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT last year. 

Five of those students attend . Five attend .

North National Merit semifinalists: Kayla A. Chapa, Emily R. Temple-Wood, Andrea K. Vetrone, Kelsey R. White and Hannah T. Young

South National Merit semifinalists: Heather R. Bird, Scott J. Blessing, Ben K. Couillard, Rosaley Gai and Alexandra K. Hansen

Only 16,000 students nationally have been named semifinalists, who are the highest scorers in each of the 50 states and comprise less than one percent of each state's seniors.

More than 90 percent of semifinalists move on to become National Merit Finalists; more than half receive a National Merit scholarship, earning a Merit Scholar title.

South has more semifinalists than last year; North has fewer. South had two semifinalists for the 2010-2011 National Merit competition. North had seven semifinalists.