National Merit Scholarship Commended Students



Nipmuc's National Merit Scholarship Commended Students:
(l-r) Sam Merten, Matt Burke, Brandon Hall,
Deanna Valcour, William Kelley, Grant Moyer,
and Michael Manser with Mr. Clements



In 2011 over 1.5 million students participated in the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This standardized test which is offered by the College Board is often used as an opportunity to prepare for the SAT as well as a way to get feedback on college readiness. For a select percentage of test takers, however, this assessment provides a chance to qualify for recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

I am proud to announce that this year seven Nipmuc students have been recognized as Commended Students for their achievement on the PSAT. On Wednesday, I was proud to meet with seniors Matthew Burke, Brandon Hall, William Kelley, Michael Manser, Samuel Merten, Grant Moyer, and Deanna Valcour to congratulate them on receiving this award.

As Commended Students, this group of Nipmuc's scholars has ranked among the top five percent of all test-takers. When we met I congratulated them and thanked them for their work. This achievement distinguishes them not only in our school, but also in our state and nationally as exceptional students.

"Recognizing academically talented students plays a fundamental role in the advancement of educational excellence within our nation," commented a NMSC spokesperson. "The young people recognized as Commended Students represent some of the best and brightest minds in the country as demonstrated by their outstanding performance in our highly competitive program. We sincerely hope this recognition will provide them with additional outlets and motivate their pursuit of academic achievement."

Congratulations to our Commended Students!