Three York Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

Submitted by Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205.

Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 61st annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Among them are seniors Kathryn “Julia” Dierksheide, Robert Tomaska and Natasha Yarlagadda, representing York Community High School.

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,400 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition.

About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

In addition, 12 members of the York Community High School Class of 2016 have been named National Merit Commended Students, as announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). The NMSC recently revealed the names of approximately 34,000 Commended Students in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Recognized for their exceptional academic promise are: Jack Anderson, Nora Barrett, William Brigham, Julia Conversa, Daphne David, Mark Edakara, Abigail Emich, Anna Hubert, Brennan McGovern, Claire Niewiara, Brandon Parr and Kristen Viola.

Commended Students placed among the top five percent nationally of those tested. A letter of commendation from the NMSC was presented by York High School Principal Diana Smith to each of these outstanding students on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

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 over 400 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.