Good News About Polk County Public Schools

Caroline E. Bresnan                        Cameron A. Johnson                        Ethan P. Emery                                 Laura E. Hagerty                                Mae A. Valenti                               Stephon M. Mikell

Six Polk public school students are 2011 National Merit or National Achievement scholarship finalists according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Recognition in any level of the National Merit or National Achievement scholarship programs are among the most prestigious academic honors for a high school senior in the United States. Visit http://www.nationalmerit.org for further information on either program.

More than 1.5 million students entered the 2011 National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). There are approximately 15,000 finalists.  The 2011 National Merit finalists, including five from Polk, represent less than one percent of high school seniors and are the highest scoring entrants on the qualifying test.

National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in April, May and July 2011.

Polk’s National Merit finalists are listed according to school with residence in parentheses.

Bartow International Baccalaureate: Caroline E. Bresnan (Lakeland), Ethan P. Emery (Lake Wales), Cameron A. Johnson (Lake Wales) and Mae A.Valenti (Lakeland).

Harrison School For The Arts, Lakeland: Laura E. Hagerty (Lakeland).

In addition, Stephon M. Mikell, a Bartow resident and senior at Bartow International Baccalaureate, was named a National Achievement Scholarship finalist. He is among 1,300 finalists nationally.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program, administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, recognizes promising black students throughout the nation. More than 160,000 students entered the 2011 National Achievement Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). As a national finalist, Mikell is among the highest scoring entrants in the country on the qualifying test.

National Achievement Scholarship winners will be announced in April 2011.

In addition to high test scores, National Merit and National Achievement finalists had to have a record of high academic performance throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by their high school principal, write an essay and earn SAT scores that confirm PSAT/NMSQT performance.  They also had to complete a detailed scholarship application with information about participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities and educational goals.