Four Eastchester Students Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

EASTCHESTER, N.Y. - Several Eastchester High School seniors have earned national accolades after beating out more than 1.5 million students competing in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Eastchester students Daniel Mancusi, Andy Zhu, Hiroko Abe and Minna Y. Kimura Thollander have been named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.
Photo Credit: *Eastchester Schools*

Zak Failla

10/12/2016 5:21 p.m.

Eastchester students Daniel Mancusi, Andy Zhu, Hiroko Abe and Minna Y. Kimura Thollander have been named as semifinalists in the program, which saw 1.6 million students in more than 22,000 high schools across America enter the competition by taking last year’s Preliminary SAR / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

In total, the four are among just 1,600 students to earn semifinal status. To become a finalist, the students and the Eastchester High School will submit lengthy scholarship applications, provide judges with information regarding their academic record, employment, academic accolades, school and community activities and leadership abilities.

According to the district, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed by a teacher or administrator, write an essay and finish with strong SAT scores.

"These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring," according to the National Merit Scholarship Committee.

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