Eleven District 99 Students Advance as National Merit Finalists

Eleven students in Community High School District 99 have been designated as finalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP), an academic competition for recognition and scholarships sponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). 

Five students were selected from Downers Grove South and six were selected from Downers Grove North, district officials said.

The designation recognizes a student’s “outstanding academic promise,” officials said.

Students are selected based on test scores, an essay, their schools’ curricula and school official recommendations, as well as involvement in activities and leadership.

Of the 1.5 million entrants, approximately 16,000 semifinalists were named in September and 15,000 of these students were named as finalists. Beginning in March, the NMSC will select 8,400 as merit scholarship winners.

The students selected were:

• Connor Bailey (South High School student from Downers Grove)
• Alexander Buckley (North High School student from Downers Grove)
• Emma Chaplin (South High School student from Downers Grove)
• Benjamin Eaton (North High School student from Downers Grove)
• Erin Elgass (North High School student from Downers Grove)
• Conner Fear (North High School student from Downers Grove)
• Marjorie Fera (South High School student from Downers Grove)
• Ammar Kalimullah (South High School student from Downers Grove)
• Samarth Malhotra (South High School student from Downers Grove)
• Reid Melton (North High School student from Downers Grove)
• Alana Osterling (North High School student from Downers Grove)

For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, visit www.nationalmerit.org.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

There are plenty of ways to keep up on Downers Grove news:

• Sign up for our daily email newsletter

• Like us on Facebook for a slightly different take.