Every year, the National Merit awards around 8,000 students with hefty scholarships (ranging from $2,500 to $10,000) for their noteworthy achievements on standardized tests. Last month, the National Merit Scholarship Program recognized a dozen North Atlanta students for their exceptional performance on the PSAT/NMSQT. North Atlanta boasts 3 students who have become semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are Miah Chien, Janie Heller, and Sara Roman – who will continue to advance through the competition in order to achieve finalist status. Commended students are as follows: Holden Cooley, Annie Lin, Alexis Lubow, Elizabeth Newton, James Pope, Blair Rubinger, Ellie Tavani, Bode Torgrimson, and Ryder Zufi.
For senior Janie Heller, this accomplishment means the world. She has been after the National Merit Scholarship ever since she took her junior year PSAT, for which she studied several weeks in advance. She hoped to achieve a score that would qualify her. When she discovered that she had become a National Merit semi-finalist, she was nothing short of ecstatic. Her new status has been an emblem of motivation, pushing Heller through the adversities of senior year. “It was so special to see my hard work pay off and to be recognized by a national program,” said Heller. “I couldn’t be more content.”
Senior Sara Roman wanted to achieve National Merit for both educational and sentimental reasons. Her older brother was a finalist in the program, inspiring her to follow in his footsteps. Prior to taking the PSAT, Roman was very confident in her ability. It did not take much preparation to attain her desired exam score. “Making it this far means so much to me and my family,” said Roman. “I’m so honored to continue the family tradition.”
Many students, such as senior Miah Chien, were unaware that PSAT scores could be more than a starting point for the subsequent SAT exam. Chien found out about what could come after receiving her test score. While she did not know about National Merit opportunities, she still took the exam extremely seriously, completing a full-length practice test every single day for an entire month. “I’m super proud of myself and all of the other students recognized,” said Chien. “We deserve this.”
North Atlanta High School is incredibly proud to congratulate such a large number of students being honored by the National Merit. These students’ hard work and dedication are highly regarded and should serve as inspiration for underclassmen as they prepare for the PSAT.
