Two CHS seniors named National Merit Semifinalists

Two members of the Cape Central Senior Class of 2013 have been selected as National Merit Semifinalists. Principal Dr. Mike Cowan announced that Penny Robinson, daughter of Dr. Bambi Robinson, and Joshua Sander, son of Lisa and David Sander, have been chosen by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and will now compete to join a current group of 91 Cape Central students who have been selected as National Merit Finalists since the 1958 academic year.

The National Merit Scholarship Program, established in 1955, is an annual academic competition for recognition and scholarships that is open to all U.S. high school students who meet published entry requirements and demonstrate exceptional ability and achievement in critical reading, mathematics and writing. Semifinalists named in each year's Merit Scholarship Competition show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Over 1.5 million students in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The 16,000 students selected are the highest-scoring entrants in each state and represent less than 1 percent of each state's high school seniors.

"Penny and Josh join a distinguished group of now 22 Cape Central students who have been selected as National Merit Semifinalists since the 2000 academic year," Dr. Cowan said.