Three Philadelphia Students Named National Merit Scholars

PHILADELPHIA – Three students in a few of Philadelphia's private schools have earned national honors. St. Joseph's Preparatory School, Germantown Friends School, and Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School each had one student announced as National Merit Scholars Wednesday.

Daniel L. Leonard, of St. Joseph's; Shira Moolten, of Masterman; and Claire M. Saint-Amour of Germantown Friends, all were named scholars, putting them among the small pool of 2,500 National Merit Scholars nationwide.

Each student won a $2,500 scholarship that will help them pursue their career paths.

Leonard's probable career field is science and research; Moolten's is social science; and Saint-Amour's is law.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title, according to a prepared statement.

More than 1.6 million students were considered for the contest when they took the PSATs in October 2015 as juniors.

Winners are selected purely on merit, without consideration of their family financial circumstances, college choice, major, or career plans.

Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 420 business organizations and higher education institutions, according to the news release.

With reporting by Justin Heinze

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