Elijah M. Fortson of Southwest High School and Nathanael J. McNair of DeLaSalle High School have been named semifinalists in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Selected by the National Merit Scholarship Corp., the semifinalists are identified as being among the nation's most academically talented black students.
Fortson and McNair are among nine Minnesota semifinalists.Approximately 1,600 high school seniors nationwide will compete for 800 scholarships worth more than $2.4 million.
Last year, three Minneapolis students won scholarships: The Blake School's Candice K. Akiti, a student at Princeton University in Princeton, N.J.; South High's Jabari Jones, who attends Carleton College in Northfield; and DeLaSalle's Nathan C. Wilson, a student at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Semifinalists must precent a record of high academic performance throughout high school, receive the endorsement of their principal, write an essay and earn stellar SAT scores to be eligible. The student and a high school staff member must also submit a scholarship application with details on the student's participation in school and community activities, leadership abilities and educational goals.
Here's a look at the letter, with a list of all the state's semifinalists:
