THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 14, 1996 TAG: 9605140276
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Three local high school students have been selected scholarship winners in the National Merit Achievement Scholarship Program. They're among 800 African-American youths nationally who will be awarded a total of $3 million this year.
Local winners announced so far are:
Candace R. Jackson of Maury High School. Jackson is a senior class vice president and secretary of the National Honor Society. She represented Maury at Girls' State and the Governor's School for the Humanities. She also serves as secretary for her church youth group.
Sharif W. Corinaldi of Norfolk Academy. Corinaldi has served as Junior Class vice-president, Science Fiction club vice president and is a member of the varsity soccer team. Cornaldi also won third place in the National Junior Engineering Technical Society Annual Competition.
Quiana M. Erb of Green Run High School. Erb has been student council president, a Governor's School participant, varsity field hockey captain, Neptune Festival prince, National Honor Society member, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes participant.
Winners were judged to have the strongest records of accomplishments and abilities along with the greatest potential for future academic success.
In the competition's early stages, 100,000 black students requested consideration in the Achievement Program when they took the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test. More than 1,500 of them became semi-finalists, based on their high scores on that test.
To continue advancing in the competition, those students had to meet high academic standards, be recommended by their high school principals and submit information about their activities, personal interests and goals.
The first 550 winners were awarded scholarships supported by corporations or the Achievement Program's funds. Another 250 will be awarded in June sponsored by colleges and universities. by CNB