21 more added to list for merit scholarships

Twenty-one Arkansas high school seniors are among 2,500 students nationally to be named this week as recipients of $2,500 National Merit Scholarships.

This is the second announcement of winners in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program. The first announcement was April 22. Additional recipients will be named May 27 and July 13.

The most recent Arkansas student winners, their high schools and their possible fields of study are:

Benton -- Samuel C. Jester, Benton High, religious service.

Bentonville -- Thomas D. Watson, Bentonville High, computer science.

Conway -- Jacob F. Hines, Conway High, engineering.

Fayetteville -- Jacob M. Elser, Haas Hall Academy charter school, finance; Peter J. Gea, Fayetteville High, engineering; and Kate C. Woolverton, Haas Hall Academy charter school, astrophysics.

Foreman -- Jessie D. Smith, Foreman High, journalism.

Greenwood -- Eli G. LaSalle, Greenwood High, engineering.

Jacksonville -- Lauren A. Weaver, Central Arkansas Christian School, nutrition/dietetics.

Little Rock -- Sherry T. Gao, Central High, biomedicine; Leslie Quinn Gray, LISA Academy charter school, international relations; Alan B. May, Episcopal Collegiate School, undecided; Chuang Z. Tang, Central High, computer science; and Ethan M. Williams, Catholic High, computer engineering.

Maumelle -- Kathleen G. McClanahan, Central Arkansas Christian School, pharmacy.

North Little Rock -- Zeferin L. Turturro, LISA Academy North charter school, biophysics.

Rogers -- Emily M. Low, Rogers Heritage High, mechanical engineering; and Alisha Sahu, Rogers High, medicine.

Russellville -- Madison O. Lester, Russellville High, English literature.

Springdale -- Jackson E. Hignite, Springdale High, business administration; and Alexander D. O'Brien, Springdale Har-Ber High, chemical engineering.

Most of the single-payment awards are funded by the National Merit Scholarship Corp., although corporations and company foundations underwrite some of the awards.

The scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors.

Metro on 05/07/2015

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