Florida's Top Black Scholars Honored as Semifinalists for National Scholarship

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

DOE Press Office (850) 245-0413

Florida's Top Black Scholars Honored as Semifinalists for National Scholarship

Tallahassee, Fla., September 26, 2012 - Florida is well represented with more than 100 black public high school seniors named today as semifinalists for the 2013 National Achievement Scholarship Program. The state's black students join more than 1,600 high school seniors from across the country who will vie for finalist spots next year - and one of approximately 800 National Achievement Scholarships totaling more than $2.5 million. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognizes the highest-scoring black students in each state who took the Preliminary SAT and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test as a junior in high school.

"I am proud that Florida's black students are excelling at the national level," said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. "Our students have worked very hard and I offer warm congratulations as they enter the next stage of the scholarship competition and continue to focus on their plans after high school."

Semifinalists, along with their school, will submit a scholarship application that provides information for the final round of the scholarship competition. The application will include the student's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and future educational goals. The student must also have a recommendation from a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm their performance on the qualifying test. Students may earn one of two National Achievement Scholarships - 700 one-time National Achievement Scholarships worth $2,500 and awarded by region, and approximately 100 renewable Achievement Scholarships for finalists who meet additional criteria set by corporate scholarship sponsors. The National Achievement Scholars will be announced in April 2013.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program is an academic competition established in 1964 by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to provide recognition for outstanding black high school students across the U.S. For more information, visit National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Florida's 2013 National Achievement Program semifinalists (PDF, 147KB)