Local News in Brief : 6 Seniors Semifinalists in Merit Program

Six area high school seniors are among the semifinalists of the 33rd annual Merit Program of the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

These students are Ian P. Dukas, Tim J. Franks, Gideon F. Javier, Christopher P. Nichelson and AliceMary Williams of John Marshall High School in Glendale, and Erin J. Coyl of Eagle Rock High School.

Of the more than 1 million high school juniors across the country who took the qualifying test in 1986, 15,000 became semifinalists.

The top 0.5% of each state’s high school graduating class was included in the semifinalist pool.

The students will compete for about 6,000 Merit Scholarships worth more than $23 million.

Merit Scholarships are offered and underwritten by corporations, foundations and other business organizations, colleges and universities, and the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

The 1988 class of Merit Scholars will be announced next spring.