National Merit Scholarship Winners From Potomac

POTOMAC, MD — The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced over 3,000 college-sponsored scholarship winners Wednesday, and five of the winners are students from Potomac, according to an announcement by the parent organization.

Potomac's National Merit Scholarship winners are:

• Katherine M. Babbit, Holton-Arms School, probable career field is undecided;
• Griffin Badalamente, Montgomery Blair High School, probable career field is neuroscience;
• Erica Lin, Richard Montgomery High School, probable career field is mathematics;
• Jonathan Y. Mendley, Richard Montgomery High School, probable career field is medicine;
• Henry E. Schlick, Georgetown Day High School, probable career field is sports/entertainment law.

Earlier in the spring, winners of corporate-sponsored and $2,500 National Merit Scholarships were announced. More winners will be announced in July, bringing the total of college-sponsored scholarships to 4,000. In all, 7,500 high school seniors will receive $32 million in National Merit Scholarships, sponsored by both corporations and higher education institutions.

Students were entered into the competition by taking the Preliminary SATs as juniors. In the fall, 16,000 semifinalists were named, representing less than 1 percent of the country's seniors. Semifinalists submitted additional applications with an essay, information about extracurricular activities, leadership positions and awards, and a recommendation from a school official.

NMSC is a not-for-profit corporation that was established in 1955. The organization says its purpose is to "enhance educational opportunities for America’s scholastically talented youth and to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence."

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