22 Friends' Central Students Earn National Merit Honors

WYNNEWOOD, Pa. – Friends’ Central School is pleased to announce that 29 percent of the Class of 2015 who took the junior year PSAT has been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program. Eight Friends’ Central students were named National Merit Semifinalists, twelve students were named National Merit Commended Students, and three students were recognized by the National Achievement Program as Semifinalists or Outstanding Participants.

These students were among the more than 1.5 million who took the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Of these, only 50,000 were recognized by the National Merit Program for their high scores. The top 16,000 students were named Semifinalists, while the other 34,000 high performers were named Commended Students. Only Semifinalists have an opportunity to continue in the Merit Scholarship competition and advance to Finalist standing by meeting a number of additional requirements, including SAT scores and high academic record in grades 9-12.

Of the more than 160,000 students who entered the 2015 National Achievement® Program, over 4,700 are honored. A group of about 3,100 Outstanding Participants are referred to colleges for their potential for academic success. A smaller group of about 1,600 are named Semifinalists, the only students who have an opportunity to advance in the 2015 competition for National Achievement Scholarships.

Eight Friends’ Central students were named National Merit Semifinalists. They are: Justin Burdge, Rebecca Buxbaum, Saoirse Hahn, Krishna Kahn, Odette Moolten, Alex Nichol, Noah Silvestry, and Hannah Szapary.

Twelve Friends’ Central students were named National Merit Commended Students. They are: Julia Barr, Kellan Barr, John Gallagher, Amy Goldfischer, Sam Kruger, Sophie MacFarlane, Grace McDonnell, Caelie McRobert, Aris Mourelatos, Adam Trask, Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson, and Matthew Wilson (also named a National Achievement Semifinalist).

Two Friends’ Central students were named National Achievement Outstanding Participants. They are: Ellisa Booker and Sahva Gebrehiwet.

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Twenty-nine percent of the Class of 2015 who took the junior year PSAT has been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program. They are: (front from left) Saoirse Hahn of Bryn Mawr (Semifinalist), Sophie MacFarlane of Wynnewood (Commended), Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson of Ardmore (Commended), Rebecca Buxbaum of Lansdowne (Semifinalist), Krishna Kahn of Wynnewood (Semifinalist), Noah Silvestry of Gladwyne (Semifinalist), Sahva Gebrehiwet of Upper Darby (National Achievement Outstanding Participant), (second row from left) Ellisa Booker of Lansdowne (National Achievement Outstanding Participant), Alex Nichol of Narberth (Semifinalist), Adam Trask of Havertown (Commended), Grace McDonnell of Ardmore (Commended), Julia Barr of Merion Station (Commended), Hannah Szapary of Wynnewood (Semifinalist), Matthew Wilson of Newtown Square (Commended and National Achievement Semifinalist), Amy Goldfischer of Havertown (Commended), Odette Moolten of Philadelphia (Semifinalist), Caelie McRobert of Rosemont (Commended), (third row from left) Aris Mourelatos of Philadelphia (Commended), Sam Kruger of Penn Valley (Commended), John Gallagher of Ardmore (Commended), Kellan Barr of Swarthmore (Commended), and Justin Burdge of Philadelphia (Semifinalist).

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Friends’ Central School is a Quaker, independent, co-educational, college preparatory day school for nursery school through grade 12. Located on two campuses in Wynnewood, Pa., Friends’ Central blends a rigorous curriculum with enduring Quaker principles of kindness, compassion, and generosity of spirit to create a solid foundation for a future of opportunity and success. Students at Friends’ Central are taught to think critically and creatively, and learn the value of good character and strong work ethic to develop into thoughtful and determined citizens. The graduates of Friends’ Central and their impact on the world are proof that Quaker Works.

Contact:
Lisa D’Orazio
Director of Communications
610-645-5037
communications@friendscentral.org
www.friendscentral.org