Corporate-Sponsored National Merit Awards

PRESS RELEASE

The academic achievement of five Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) seniors scheduled to graduate in May impressed several corporations and organizations resulting in these companies presenting them with a scholarship.

The , Collins Hill High, Parkview High, and Peachtree Ridge High recipients are part of a group of 1,000 distinguished high school seniors who have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarships, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently announced.

The 2012 winners from Gwinnett are:

Ross P. Cunningham – Parkview High
Probable career field: Physics
National Merit Southern Company Scholarship

Samuel L. Gowland – Parkview High
Probable career field: Molecular Biology
National Merit Norfolk Southern Scholarship

Matthew D. Hester – Collins Hill High
Probable career field: Engineering
National Merit James E. Casey Scholarship

Tyler A. Perini – Peachtree Ridge High
Probable career field: Secondary Education, Mathematics
National Merit Siemens Scholarship

Matthew L. Townsend –
Probable career field: Computer Science
National Merit Siemens Scholarship

These students were selected from a pool of finalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program who met the criteria of their scholarship sponsors. Corporate organizations generally provide awards for finalists who are children of their employees, residents of communities the company serves, or have plans to pursue majors or careers the grantor wishes to encourage. About 200 companies, foundations, and other business organizations finance these scholarships.

Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000.

More than 1.5 million students entered the competition last school year as juniors by taking the 2010 `Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as the initial screening for program entrants. As the highest scoring entrants in each state, these academically talented students were then invited to apply for a finalist spot.

That level was determined by looking at the student’s academic record throughout high school, an endorsement/ recommendation by the school principal, and a self descriptive essay and information about their participation and leadership in school and community activities. The scholarship recipients can use their award at any regionally accredited U.S.
college or university of their choice.