Date: Fri 06-Oct-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: AMYD

Quick Words:

National-Merit-semi-finalists

Full Text:

w/photo: National Merit Semi-Finalists

B Y A MY D'O RIO

Give Newtown High School William Manfredonia a megaphone, he has good news:

On the National Merit Scholarship competition, 20 Newtown High School students

have been put on the commended students list, and two students, Kate Zimmerman

and Ward Richardson, have been selected as semi-finalists.

The last few years, Newtown High School has not had any semi-finalists, and

not nearly as many commended students.

"I was shocked," Mr Manfredonia said of the news. "I can't believe it."

Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation holds a competition for

approximately 6,500 merit scholarships.

The commended students placed among the top five percent of all applicants on

the PSAT. Of the approximately one million students who entered the

competition, 35,000 received commendations. These students received high

scores on the PSAT, but not high enough to become semi-finalists.

Only 15,000 students were picked as semi-finalists - less than one percent of

the each state's high school graduating class.

About 90 percent of the semi-finalists are expected to become finalists.

Both Kate and Ward are exceptional students.

Kate, daughter of Frank and Carol Zimmerman of Rowledge Pond Road, plays field

hockey and lacrosse and is learning two languages.

She takes both Honors Spanish and college-level French. Kate is a member of

the Guidance Honors Association, the International Club and Trinity Church's

youth group.

She also volunteers her time at Middle Gate School teaching after-school

classes.

She takes many accelerated classes, including two advanced placement science

courses, and is shooting for admission into the country's top universities.

"I am applying to MIT, Princeton, Cornell, Harvard and Johns Hopkins," she

said.

Kate also has ambitious career plans. She wants to become an astronaut.

Ward , son of Eddison and Kim Richardson of Pole Bridge Road, is captain of

the cross country team and a member of the track team.

He does peer counseling and is a member of the Newtown Youth Services advisory

board.

Ward also finds time for the Guidance Honors Association, the Foreign Language

Society and St. Rose Church's youth group.

Like Kate, he too takes many accelerated courses including advanced placement

English, chemistry and calculus.

Ward, 17, is applying to Duke University, the University of Virginia and

Georgetown. He wants to study psychiatry.

"I enjoy helping people out," Ward said.

Commended Students

The commended students at Newtown High School are:

Stacey C. Baglio, Trennon P. Bird, Sarah E. Cwikla, Marissa W. Dent, Kurt C.

Deschermeier, Stephanie Dorenbosch, Molly B. Dorozenski, Courtney A. Elf,

Jeffrey A. Fagan, Melanie A. Loyzim, Terry P. McGovern, Casey D. Miller,

Meghan B. O'Connor, Michael J. Payne, Michael C. Powers, Caragh J. Reilly,

Justin A. Riddle, Michael A. Storms, Kevin Walker and Gregory B. White.