Ten percent of Texas winners are from HISD

April 10, 2013 – Seven Houston Independent School District students have been named National Achievement Scholarship winners and will each receive a $2,500 scholarship for their undergraduate studies.

Each year the National Merit Scholarship Corporation awards scholarships to African-American students who have excelled in academics and have demonstrated the potential for academic success in college.

This year approximately 800 students were awarded scholarships totaling over $2 million dollars. Nearly 70 of those students are from Texas including seven seniors from three HISD schools.

• Rachel A. Adenekan – DeBakey High School for Health Professions
• Bianca R. Draud – Westside High School
• Salem B. Hadgu – Bellaire High School
• Malcolm C. Lizzappi – DeBakey High School for Health Professions
• Nathalie C. Meremikwu – DeBakey High School for Health Professions
• Lonnie A. Smith – Bellaire High School
• Acara E. Turner – DeBakey High School for Health Professions

Nationally, more than 160,000 students applied for the 2013 National Achievement Scholarships, which were awarded based on several criteria, including a consistent record of academic excellence. To be considered for this scholarship, the candidates had to be recommended by a high school official, earn SAT scores that confirmed their Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test scores, and write an essay.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program is a privately financed academic competition established in 1964 specifically to honor scholastically talented African-American students who have achieved exceptional academic success. This is the 49^th year for the National Achievement Scholarships, and as a result of the program, about 32,600 students have received scholarships worth more than $103 million dollars.