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Six Additional Merit Scholars Bring to 27 the Total of Merit Winners to Date This Year

June 6, 2000
Six high school seniors have won college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships, bringing the total number of MCPS Merit Scholars to 27 so far this year.

The six seniors are among about 2,500 winners of Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities. College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the financing institution.

Another 14 MCPS students won $2,000 awards funded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), and seven won corporate-sponsored scholarships. The MCPS college-sponsored scholarship winners, their schools, intended career fields and sponsoring colleges or universities are:

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School: Zachary S. Stamler, music, Ithaca College

Montgomery Blair High School: Alexei B. Ivanov, computer programming/business, University of Maryland; Kathleen A. Castell, aerospace engineering, University of Maryland; Stanley S. Liu, psychology, University of Maryland

Sherwood High School: Merrilyn E. Ratliff, psychology, University of Maryland

Springbrook High School: Graham H. Claybrook, law, Wheaton College

The winners were chosen from among Merit Program finalists who will attend those institutions by officials of the more than 200 private and public colleges and universities who sponsored scholarships.

Students attained National Merit Scholarship finalist status based on criteria that included exceptional performance on standardized tests and in the classroom, strong recommendations from school officials and a statement of goals and interests.

Last September, about 16,000 National Merit semifinalists were selected, based on their scores on the 1998 PSAT/NMSQT. Approximately 15,000 semifinalists attained finalist standing after meeting the additional criteria. MCPS had 107 semifinalists in the program.

The NMSC will announce additional winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarships in July.

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