Four OHS Seniors Named in National Merit Scholarship Semifinals

Four Oxford High School students — William Anderson, David Dennis, Joonhee Jo and
William Tollison — are among high school seniors nationwide to be named semifinalists in the National Merit
Scholarship Program.
Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of approximately 16,000
Semifinalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Oxford High School Principal Mike Martin
credits the entire public school system in Oxford for the recent academic recognition these students received.
“This is not just an Oxford High School recognition award; the entire Oxford School District has had a hand in
these students’ success — each teacher, administrator, bus driver, custodian, faculty member,” said Martin. “From
pre-K to Oxford High School, our public school system and our community have had a direct impact on each
student.”
Semifinalists are selected based on their scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)/National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test in their junior year. Semifinalist status is awarded to the students from each state who
scored the highest on the exam and is proportional to the state’s percentage total of graduating seniors. !
School district officials say each student in the school district is challenged to do their best by parents and
teachers.
“Our school district’s vision is ‘First in Class – The Oxford Way,’ ” said Brian Harvey, superintendent for the Oxford
School District. “ I truly believe through everything they do, our students are challenged to excel, whether it’s in
the arts, athletics or academics. We are very proud of this year’s selection of National Merit Semifinalists.”
The high school seniors named will continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships
worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to
reach Finalist standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit
Scholar title.
Courtesy of Oxford School District. For more information on Oxford High School, visit their website.