The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently named Alexander Smith, a senior at La Plata High School, a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Smith was chosen as a semi-finalist out of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2013 National Merit Program. Students are considered for the program when they take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMST) as high school juniors. Finalists in the program will be named early next year and winners will be selected beginning in April 2013.
Smith and approximately 16,000 other semi-finalists advance to the finalist level, which is determined by high school academic performance and SAT scores, as well as for community involvement and leadership. Merit Scholars are also selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The nationwide pool of semi-finalists includes the highest entrants in each state and scholarships will be awarded on a state representational basis.
The NMSC is a non-profit organization that was established in 1955 to conduct the annual National Merit Program. Scholarships awarded through the program are underwritten by NMSC’s funds and more than 500 business organizations and other educational institutions with the goal of honoring the nation’s scholastic students and the pursuit of academic excellence.
Charles County Public Schools provides 26,800 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 35 caring community schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Patricia Vaira, Title IX Coordinator and Section 504 Coordinator (students), or Keith Hettel, Section 504 Coordinator (employees/adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, Maryland 20646; (301) 932-6610/870-3814. For special accommodations call (301) 934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
