Whiz Kid: Bensalem Student Named Semifinalist in National Program

Whiz Kid: Paula K. Williamson

School: _, senior

Accomplishment: Paula _has been named a Semifinalist in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program. She will join more than 16,000 academically talented high school seniors who will now compete for 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $35 million, that will be offered next spring.

About the Whiz Kid: Paula is a principal’s list honor roll student and was honored as Student of the Month in 9th and 11th grades. She is a member of Reading Olympics, National Honor Society, Marching Band, Femineus Vocalis, Orchestra, the Spring Musical and the Volleyball team. She is the orchestras Viola section leader. Paula’s hobbies include playing the piano and viola, singing, reading, and writing. Out of school, she is a member of the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County, Church Choir and Church Handbell Choir. Paula plans to attend Cornell University, major in English and eventually study abroad in London.

About National Merit Program: More than 1.5 million juniors in nearly 22,000 high schools entered the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants.  Semifinalists are the highest scorers in each state and represent less than one percent of each state’s high school graduating class.

The next step for the Semifinalists is to fulfill requirements for advancement to Finalist standing, a prerequisite to consideration for a Merit Scholarship award.  They must have an outstanding high school academic record, be endorsed and recommended by their school principal, and submit SAT scores that confirm their earlier qualifying test performance. 

Also, the Semifinalist and a school official must complete a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student’s self-descriptive essay, as well as information about the Semifinalist’s record of participation and leadership in school and community activities.