Across CSRA, local students earn a range of recognition

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Eight high-school seniors have each been named semifinalists and commended scholars in the National Merit Scholarship program for the 2022-2023 school year.

Seven students attend Augusta Preparatory Day School and one attends John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, both here in Augusta.

Augusta Preparatory Day School

Augusta Preparatory has seven seniors recognized in the National Merit Scholarship program for the 2022-2023 school year, a remarkable number of students, and the most of any area school.

Three are National Merit Semifinalists, while four more were named Commended Scholars.

Charlie Dees, Kian Sheridan, and Marlowe Weatherred have each been named National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists for the 2022-2023 school year.

The latest students to be named commended scholars and to receive recognition are Sullivan Boni, Kayleigh Hersey, Priya Sharma, and Madison Tovar.

John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School

Song Ting Tang, a senior at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, has also been named a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Tang is the only student in Richmond County to achieve this status in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

A National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists is among the top two percent of PSAT test-takers in the state and represent less than one percent of all high school seniors in the nation.

Tang and the other Augusta Preparatory students will now compete against more than 16,000 semifinalists to be named a National Merit Finalist by submitting an essay, letters of recommendation, SAT scores, transcripts, and grade point average.

According to the National Merit website, “the NATIONAL MERIT® SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. Approximately 1.5 million high school students enter the program each year.”

National Merit Finalists are eligible for corporate and college-sponsored scholarships and will be announced between April and July 2023.

John de la Howe

In other student success stories, a delegation of more than 20 students from the South Carolina’s Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe attended the National FFA Convention and Exposition.

One of those students, Sierra Tinsley, returned home with an overall third place finish in the National Dairy Cattle Handlers Career Development Event. She competed against 30 contestants from around the United States.

While at the convention, the Governor’s School for Agriculture’s Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Management Team also claimed national honors, winning Bronze Team Overall in competition at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Team members included JC Chandler of Belton, Caitlyn Krout of Fair Play, and brothers Lee and Lyle Fulmer of Prosperity.

JC, Caitlyn and Lee won Silver individual honors in the Cattle Evaluation & Management CDE, while Lyle won Bronze individual honors.

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