Hempstead High School students - Jacob Butler, Nadia Moreno, Stephanie Ordonez and Delia Ward - were among the 1.5 million high school students taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test NMSQT earlier this school year. National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently announced the four HISD juniors scored in the top three percent of testers nationwide, making them eligible to apply to be recognized for prestigious national awards through the program.
“We are proud of our students for achieving this important first step toward national recognition,” Hempstead Superintendent of Schools Herbert O’Neil said. “They are outstanding students and great representatives of Bobcat Pride!”
National African-American Recognition: Delia Ward
National Hispanic Recognition: Stephanie Ordonez and Nadia Moreno
National Small Town and Rural Recognition: Stephanie Ordonez and Jacob Butler
The preliminary test serves as an initial screen of program entrants, and NMSC uses the PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index scores to determine the 50,000 high-scoring participants who qualify for program recognition. Those named a Semifinalist make up less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. These students have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million that are offered the following spring.
Of the 16,000 who will be named Semifinalists, nearly 15,000 achieve Finalist status. To become a Finalist, Semifinalists and their high schools must submit a detailed scholarship application in which they provide information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstration of leadership abilities and honors and awards received.
Look at our Bobcats achieving!