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Lakota West and Lakota East recently announced its National Merit Finalists. Receiving the honor included seniors Jeffery Back, Ethan Bennett, Christina Clyde, Meghan Gibbons, Sophia Li, Paul Register, Jamie Silva, Abd Alrahman Traboulsi and Jasmine Tuazon.

Approximately 1.5 million students take the preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship qualifying test, from which about 8,300 Merit Scholarship winners are determined. In March, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation will begin mailing scholarship offers to winners, based on test scores, overall academic record and recommendations.

Earlier this month, Lakota West seniors Evan Campbell and Marcus Moore were both named finalists in the National Achievement Scholarship Program.

The scholarship program is an academic competition established in 1964 to provide recognition for outstanding black American high school students. Campbell and Moore entered the competition as high school juniors by taking the 2011 preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship qualifying test. Both students were recognized recently at a school board meeting for having achieved semifinalist status in the program.

Of the more than 160,000 students who currently enter the National Achievement Program each year, about one percent are named semifinalists. From that group, about 800 will be selected as finalists to receive National Achievement Scholarships.

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Tags: Tags: Abd Alrahman Traboulsi, Christina Clyde, Ethan Bennett, Jamie Silva, Jasmine Tuazon, Jeffery Back, Lakota East, Lakota East National Achievement Award, Lakota East National Merit Finalists, Lakota West, Lakota West National Merit Finalists, Lakota West student achievements, Meghan Gibbons, Paul Register, Sophia Li

A total of 10 local students have been named semifinalists in the 2013 Natioinal Merit Scholarship Program. The students are among approximately 16,000 named this week in the program.

The recognized students include Jeffrey Back, Christina Clyde, Meghan Gibbons, Sophia Li, Jamie Silva and Jasmine Tuazon of Lakota East; Ethan Bennett, Paul Register and Abd Alrahman Traboulsi of Lakota West; and Amber Nix of West Chester (homeschool).

These high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million that will be offered next spring, according to a press release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The nationwide pool of semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors.

To become a finalist, the semifinalist and their high school must submit a detailed scholarship application with information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, and honors and awards received.

From the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level and in February they will be notified of this designation.

All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of finalists and will be announced between April or July.

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Abd Alrahman Traboulsi, Amber Nix, Christina Clyde, Ethan Bennett, Jamie Silva, Jasmine Tuazon, Jeff Back, Jeffrey Back, Lakota East, Lakota East High School, Lakota East National Achievement Award, Lakota East National Merit Finalists, Lakota West, Lakota West High School, Lakota West National Merit Finalists, Lakota West student achievements, Meghan Gibbons, National Achievement Award, National Merit Finalists, National Merit Scholarship Program, National Merit Semi-Finalists, Paul Register, Sophia Li

Two Mars Hill Academy seniors, Andy Giese of West Chester and Esther Cunningham of Liberty Township, recently achieved finalist status in the National Merit Scholar program.

Giese and Cunningham had been named semi-finalists in the fall due to their qualifying scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test. To become a finalist, a semi-finalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying PSAT.

Earlier this month, Lakota West and Lakota East high schools announced its National Merit Finalists. Receiving the honor from Lakota West included seniors Johanna Blake, Sophia Cramer, Kayla McGinnis and Adam Williams. Meanwhile, Dwight Hu, Whitney Wyckoff and Laura Moak received the honor from Lakota East.

Lakota East also had a 2012 National Achievement Award winner in Michael Dudley through this same competition.

Approximately 1.5 million juniors representing 22,000 high schools nationwide take the PSAT each year; less than 4 percent of these students receive recognition as either semi-finalists or commended students. Semi-finalists represent less than 1 percent of seniors nationwide.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is now in the process of selecting the winners for 8,400 Merit Scholarships that will be awarded beginning in March.

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Adam Williams, Andy Giese, Dwight Hu, Esther Cunningham, Johanna Blake, Kayla McGinnis, Lakota East, Lakota East National Achievement Award, Lakota East National Merit Finalists, Lakota West, Lakota West National Merit Finalists, Lakota West student achievements, Laura Moak, Mars Hill Academy, Mars Hill Academy Mason, Michael Dudley, National Achievement Award, National Merit Finalists, National Merit Scholarship Program, National Merit Semi-Finalists, Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test, Sophia Cramer, Whitney Wyckoff

Lakota West and Lakota East announced Monday its National Merit Finalists. Receiving the honor from Lakota West High School included seniors Johanna Blake, Sophia Cramer, Kayla McGinnis and Adam Williams. Meanwhile, Dwight Hu, Whitney Wyckoff and Laura Moak received the honor from Lakota East High School.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is now in the process of selecting the winners for 8,400 Merit Scholarships that will be awarded beginning in March.

Lakota East also had a 2012 National Achievement Award winner through this same competition. Michael Dudley was named a finalist in this competition through the College Board.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program is an academic competition established in 1964 to provide recognition for outstanding Black American high school students. Black students may enter both the National Achievement Program and the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and meeting other published requirements for participation.

The two annual programs are conducted concurrently but operated and funded separately. A student’s standing is determined independently in each program. Black American students can qualify for recognition and be honored as Scholars in both the National Merit Program and the National Achievement Program, but can receive only one monetary award from NMSC.

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Adam Williams, Dwight Hu, Johanna Blake, Kayla McGinnis, Lakota East, Lakota East National Achievement Award, Lakota East National Merit Finalists, Lakota West, Lakota West National Merit Finalists, Lakota West student achievements, Laura Moak, Michael Dudley, National Achievement Award, National Merit Finalists, Sophia Cramer, Whitney Wyckoff

Peter Bradbury, a senior vice president at Nielsen, and Kevin Tinsley, a professional in the marketing field, recently spoke with Lakota West High School students, who are participating in the school’s marketing and communication senior internship program.

Bradberry discussed various topics including marketing strategies, the global economy and targeting desired demographics during his visit Oct. 20.

“I’m planning on majoring in marketing next year and this was a very valuable experience to listen to such a respected person in the field,” Lakota West senior Ryan Ulrick said.

“It was interesting to discuss marketing on a global scale and then try to relate it to what we are doing here at West.”

Lakota West principal Richard Hamilton, following an application process in August, selected the interns. Lakota West High School teachers Jason Cronk and Todd Hummer were appointed to manage the group.

Tinsley spoke to the group in September.

“I think Kevin really helped to ease the student’s minds,” Hummer said. “They were a little nervous to just call or walk into businesses and he gave them tips on verbiage, strategies, and how they needed to prepare themselves with information.”

According to Hummer, the marketing and communications team meets outside of school hours and their goals include working to promote Lakota West in a positive light to the public and to the student body. The group also hopes to develop positive relationships in the business community and devise a marketing plan to bring advertisers to the school’s web site.

“It was an honor to share my work and help them prepare a business plan that showcases the value Lakota West provides our township and community,” Tinsley said.

“It was exciting to see how much professionalism, and maturity, Lakota students possess. I know they will do a great job representing Lakota to the business community.”

Posted in: Events, School events, Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Jason Cronk, Kevin Tinsley, Lakota West, Lakota West marketing and communication senior internship, Lakota West principal Richard Hamilton, Lakota West student achievements, marketing and communication senior internship, marketing and communication senior internship program, Peter Bradbury, Richard Hamilton, senior internship initiative, Todd Hummer

Lakota West recently announced its National Merit Semi-Finalists and National Merit Commended students in the class of 2012. All of the students have scored in the top ½ of 1 percent nationally on the PSAT in their junior year.

Pictured above in back row, left-to-right: Tyler Axt, Adam Williams, Michael Egan, Sophia Cramer, Samuel Fogle, Josh Spaw, Tyler Carles and Yasmin Moftakhar. In front row, left-to-right: Abigail Sippola, Rebecca Frederick, Michaela Honkomp, Kayla McGinnis, Jonathan Krammer, Johanna Blake, Grace Lower and Daniel Willis.

The semi finalists are still in the process and can move from semi-finalist status to finalist to scholarship recipient. The Commended students are no long eligible to move on in the competition.

Posted in: Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: Lakota West, Lakota West National Merit Commended students, Lakota West National Merit Semi-Finalists, Lakota West student achievements, National Merit Commended students, National Merit Semi-Finalists

A group of 29 seniors at Lakota West were recently chosen to be part of the senior internship initiative, which allows students to receive real world experience while improving their school. Meanwhile, led by the school’s English and social studies teachers, more than 70 Lakota West seniors have registered to vote in the upcoming election.

According to a release from the school, the senior internship initiative provides seniors with a “hands on” learning opportunity in an area of their choice. In the program, students will work collaboratively in small groups in the areas of school event planning and coordination, Firebird pride, marketing, communications, sports and athletic management.

While participating in the internship, students will develop a comprehensive plan to improve the school in the area assigned, share ideas and insights to the group in a collaborative atmosphere, participate in day-to-day operations of the area assigned and contribute to the betterment of the school, according to a press release from Lakota West.

For more on each news item, visit www.lakotawesthigh.com.

Posted in: Election, News, Schools, Student achievements |

Tags: Tags: internship, Lakota West, Lakota West student achievements, senior internship initiative, West Chester election