ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 25, 1996 TAG: 9603250003
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
note: below
Perhaps it's because most of them play an instrument or sing in chorus. Or maybe having a parent who works at Virginia Tech has something to do with it.
Maybe it's the water.
Whatever it is, it must be spreading. A whopping nine out of the 12 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists from the New River Valley came from the senior class at Blacksburg High School.
That breaks the high school's previous record of five semifinalists from the class of '94, and it's one more than last year's total for the entire Roanoke Valley.
The National Merit Scholarship corporation, a nonprofit group that recognized 15,000 seniors this year, tries to keep high school comparisons to a minimum by not keeping records of the highest number of semifinalists one school has produced.
But, just for perspective, compare 992-student Blacksburg High School with two other small college towns in Virginia. Two of this year's semifinalists came from Charlottesville High School, with 1,100 students, and three from Harrisonburg High School, with 935.
The distinction is awarded to students who score in the top one-half of one percent on their Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (otherwise known as the PSAT's).
The students sent in applications and essays last fall. By the end of this month, they'll know if they'll receive one of three types of scholarships: National Merit Scholarships worth $2,000 each; corporation-sponsored scholarships; or awards from colleges and universities around the country.
But the money is just a bonus. The nine names from Blacksburg High have been sent out to every college and university in the country - and hundreds try to woo these high achievers.
The students said catalogs from Yale and other Ivy League schools and programs from schools such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology fill their desk drawers and stuff their closets.
Holly Moyer just received an offer from Kenyon College, a small, exclusive school in Ohio, of a four-year $20,000 scholarship.
Evan Greenberg has accepted early admission to Princeton; Amanda Ryan is headed for Columbia University. Becky Winfree plans to stick close to home and study veterinary science at Virginia Tech.
Semifinalist Adeel Kaiser has already graduated from high school; he finished a year early and has a semester under his belt at the University of Virginia.
A few future doctors and engineers are in the group; others say they hope to find careers in psychology, music and English.
You might have seen Eric Chen or William Lee on the television brain game "Classroom Quiz." Most of these students have played in the high school band; a few are on the debate team.
But they say their achievements are nothing unusual in a class of 213 exceptional students.
"We have an incredibly achieving class," Moyer said.
"We have so many different talents - in arts and music ... you name it," added Bill Sanders.
Competition is friendly, but pervasive, and they said that helps everyone perform better.
The students know a good learning environment when they're in it, and they're quick to praise the people who have helped them reach their goals.
"Mrs. [Delores] Grapsas, she's our Classroom Quiz adviser," mentioned one student. "And Ms. [Jane] Carr, she taught AP English," added another.
"Dr. Love!'' chime in the others, referring to music teacher Diana Love.
Grapsas, who teaches history, said the high numbers of honors and Advanced Placement classes helps Blacksburg students succeed.
"Even with average students, they can achieve a great deal, because the advanced classes are here," she said. "They all have a possiblity of being challenged."
Terry Maddy, another teacher mentioned repeatedly by the students, said Blacksburg High School teachers are devoted to creating fun, challenging classes.
Those nine seniors don't take their teachers' dedication for granted, she said.
"If you appreciate what's being done for you, you'll try that much harder to succeed," she said.
"I'll miss them, but we're lucky. There will be more."
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/Staff Here they are, the top achievers ofby CNBBlacksburg High. The semifinalists are (from left, clockwise) Adeel
Kaiser, Eric Chen, Stephanie Kraige, Amanda Ryan, Holly Moyer,
Becky Winfree, Bill Sanders, Evan Greenberg and William Lee.
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