A Dozen DMPS Seniors are National Merit Finalists
A dozen DMPS seniors are National Merit Finalists
Twelve high school seniors in Des Moines have been chosen as 2012 Finalists for the National Merit Scholarship, placing them among the top young scholars in the state and nation. The Des Moines students were selected based on their strong performance on the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) test taken last year.
“I never cease to be amazed by the brilliant and talented students who attend our schools in Des Moines,” said Nancy Sebring, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. “From having terrific teachers to a wide array of educational offerings, these students are able to benefit from great opportunities as they prepare for their future.”
The students are:
- Jack Bequeaith, Roosevelt
- Kayleigh Courard-Hauri, Roosevelt
- Braden Edwards, Lincoln
- Zoe Eagle, Roosevelt
- Rachel Jacobs, Roosevelt
- Margaret Long, Roosevelt
- Matthew MacKay, Roosevelt
- Stephanie Manivanh, Roosevelt
- Megan Mansfield, Roosevelt
- Sarah Mansfield, Roosevelt
- China Mauck, Roosevelt
- Danielle Ward, Roosevelt
The students also take classes at Central Academy. Last Fall, three of the students – Jack Bequeaith, Matthew McKay and Megan Mansfield – also learned that they earned perfect scores on the ACT college entrance exam.
Finalists are now eligible to receive college scholarships of at least $2,500 from the National Merit Scholarship organization or their corporate sponsors. Scholarship recipients will be announced in April. Of the 1.5 million students who take the PSAT, only about 16,000 enter the Semi-Finalist level of the competition and approximately 15,000 are recognized as Finalists.
In the 40+ year history of the National Merit Scholarship Program, more than 450 Semi-Finalists have attended Des Moines Public Schools.
