National Merit Scholars Recognized

At the April 5 meeting of the Board of Education, Newtown High School Interim Principal Patricia Llodra acknowledged students identified by The National Merit Scholarship Program as commended scholars who were chosen on the basis of their abilities, skills, and accomplishments.

One high school student, Brian Hunt, was named as a National Merit Scholarship Finalist.

Brian told the school board, “I’m very proud to be a National Merit Finalist. I had to fill out a bunch of forms and write some essays. I’m thinking of attending Rice University. I was born in Texas; it would be like going back home for me. I’m thinking of possibly being a professor of philosophy or history, something in the humanities.”

The commended scholars were Ryan Kraft, Sara Davis, Rebecca Gellis, Alfred Mancuso, Michael Corbeil, Daniel Gindraux, and Nicholas Isles. This elite group competed against 1.3 million other students nationwide.

The National Merit Scholarship Program was established in 1955 and to date 2.3 million high school students have been honored.