Four WHS seniors achieve ‘Commended Student’ status’ in National scholarship program

Post date: Oct 05, 2015 8:18:9 PM

According to Wells High School Principal Eileen Sheehy, seniors Tamar Cimenian, Anna Libby, Elise McCormack-Kuhman and Seamus McDonough have received a Letter of Commendation from the 2016 National Merit® Scholarship Program for their “outstanding performance” on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test administered in the fall of 2014. This announcement indicates that all four new “Commended Students” scored in the top 2.2 percent of 1.5 million entrants from 22,000 high schools nationally.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which administers the National Merit® Scholarship Program, released the list of Semifinalists and those achieving Commended Student status in September.

Although these four students are no longer competing for scholarships in this program, receiving a Letter of Commendation from NMSC is a major achievement for a senior considering college and a career.

“It’s definitely a boost towards the schools that I am looking at,” said Seamus McDonough. “It will be a big plus. It may put my application to the top instead of getting lost; it may stand out more.”

Another WHS senior, Kate Macolini, was listed as a Semifinalist in the program which next spring will issue scholarships with a combined total of 32 Million to the last round of 15,000 Finalists, or Merit Scholars.

“NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.” Source: National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Commended Students at Wells High School (left to right) are seniors Anna Libby, Seamus McDonough, Tamar Cimenian and Elise McCormack-Kuhman