Congratulations to local National Merit Scholarship semifinalists

Three seniors in high school have reached an impressive milestone by being named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.

Alex Gentle of Cape Girardeau Central High School, Tyler Pech of Notre Dame Regional High School and Joshua Vogel of Saxony Lutheran High School each has different interests, but their success in the classroom and involvement in clubs and sports is a common thread. These young men have ambition, and that's a good thing.

To be named a National Merit semifinalist, Gentle, Pech and Vogel took the PSAT and scored in the top 1 percentile for Missouri students. To be considered for the scholarship, they will submit a 600-word essay, take the SAT and submit letters of recommendation.

Central principal Dr. Mike Cowan said the award can open up opportunities for students. With this kind of success in the classroom, it's clear the seniors are on a promising track.

Congratulations to Gentle, Pech and Vogel for being named semifinalists. We congratulate all our local students who strive for excellence in class, through their teams and clubs and in the community.