Leaha A. Wynn of Eastside High School and Andrew K. Kabue and Toni-Jhay N. Tucker of Newton High School have been named as semifinalists in the 2009 National Achievement Program.
More than 1,600 black American high school seniors have been designated as semifinalists in the 45th annual Achievement Scholarship competition. These scholastically talented students have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 scholarships worth over $2.6 million to be awarded next spring.
The National Achievement Program, conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation, is privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. It was initiated in 1964 to recognize academically promising black students to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding program participants. To date, over 27,800 young men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $91 million.
Approximately 1,300 semifinalists are expected fulfill additional requirements and advance to the finalist level.
More than 150,000 high school juniors from all parts of the United States requested consideration in the 2009 National Achievement Program when they took the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Semifinalists were designated within geographic regions and are the highest-scoring program entrants in the states that make up each region.
Every finalist will compete for one of the 700 one-time National Achievement $2,500 scholarships awarded on a regional representation basis. Corporate and business sponsors will underwrite about 100 Achievement Scholarship awards for finalists who meet criteria set by the grantor.
