NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC SENIOR IAN HAMILTON

NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALIST

Congratulations to Ian, a former Colt!!!!!

Newport Central Catholic High School proudly congratulates Senior Ian Hamilton, son of Joe and Jan Hamilton of Ft. Thomas, KY for being named a National Merit Semifinalist. 

The names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 53^rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program were announced today by officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).  These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $34 million, that will be offered next spring.  

More than 1.4 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high schools entered the 2008 National Merit Program by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants.  The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.  The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. 

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Ian must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling several requirements.  About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the Merit Scholar title. 

Merit Scholarship winners of 2008 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July.