5 at Esperanza Are Merit Semifinalists

The National Merit Semifinal Qualifying Test Corp. recognized 20 Esperanza High School Students for outstanding scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude test taken on October 1996.

Of 1 million students entering the competition, five from Esperanza were named semifinalists and 15 were named commended students.

Among the semifinalists were Zachary Smith of Yorba Linda, who left Esperanza early to study at the Julliard School in New York. His brother, Jacob, also left early and attends Chapman University in Orange. Both students will return in June to graduate with their class.

Other students earning semifinalist honors are Matt Chiang of Yorba Linda, Anthony Lo of Anaheim, Annie Lin of Yorba Linda and David Lin of Yorba Linda.

Among the commended students were Michelle Oliveros-Larsen of Yorba Linda, who was also named a Hispanic Merit Scholar, and Jui Rajadhyaksha, who died of aplastic anemia just before her senior year.